Looking Glass
by MurasakiSpade
Summary: Three years of Interhigh Mahjong championship has guaranteed Matsui Kikue more attention than she wanted in a life time. But her goal did not stop there. She was to be the requiem for her parents. Or so she thought until she walked into Kaijo and saw Kise in the same class. Will warn in the future if lemon chapters are published
1. Prologue

Matsui Kikue had just finished up an interview that she had not been particularly keen on attending when she accidentally walked right into the blond male. She had been messaging her grandfather as well as her club mates. He reminded her of a modern instrument - much too different from herself. Well, he _was_ Kise Ryōta after all, her captain had been fangirling since his first magazine appearance.

"I'm sorry, I should've looked at my surroundings." She apologised in her soft-spoken tone she reserved for public situations, paired with the perfect half smile and a bow. "Are you alright?"

"Ah I'm fine-ssu," The blond replied with a full smile. "How about you?"

"I'm ok," Kikue replied quickly, hoping the conversation would not drag out any longer. And it didn't, as the phone she held in her hand rang with perfect timing. "I shall take me leave then,"

Picking up the phone, Kikue began to walk away from the blond, however between her conversation with her club captain, she heard muttering from the male.

"Classical music?"


	2. Chapter 1

The obnoxiously blond hair caught her attention the moment she walked into the classroom that morning. She had not attended school for the first week of school, since she had a mahjong training camp for U-18. It wouldn't be a big deal if she had taken a mahjong scholarship, but she hadn't in consideration for her grandfather's health. She had reported in the day before to get information regarding her class and seating position, however had not even paid the slightest attention to the class register. She had never even tried to initiate communication with others before, not after primary school. That is why she had not known that Kise Ryōta was in her class.

She sat down at her desk, taking out the tile records from her training camp. She had received a few messages from her middle school teammates that morning, asking her how the training camp went, however she had not given any of them a reply. They were not her friends, she knew that much at least. All they had wanted to do was to know the middle school champion, everyone did since she dominated three years in a row. The swarm of messages she had received after her interview revealing her school choice had taught her the real annoyance of people and media. So as she walked into Kaijou, she was resolved to not draw attention to herself.

A seat removed from her own in the last row sat the blond, who seemed somewhat bored while he conversed with a few other boys in the class. Why did he have to sit diagonal from her? Her entrance had caused quite a few pairs of eyes to set on her, but a soft half smile and nod later, it was as if everyone had forgotten Kikue's existence. As she planned.

"Ah, you're the girl from before-ssu!"

There went her peace and quiet.

Kise Ryōta got up from his chair, and walked over to her. Kikue resisted the urge to sigh and leave, instead opting to look up with the same half smile at the blond.

"We ran into each other before if my memory serves right," Kikue said, knowing fully well her memory would never fail her. "Kise-san?"

"Yup, I didn't think I would be seeing you again though-ssu." He said, the same obnoxious smile from before making Kikue suppress a grimace. "I never got your name, did I?"

"Matsui Kikue," Kikue replied, hoping her tone could end the conversation.

"Matsui-san, what were you doing at the office before-ssu?" Nope, conversation did not end.

"I had an interview to attend to," Kikue replied, seriously questioning herself for not opting for a mahjong scholarship. "I hadn't expected Kise-san to remember me."

"You're the first person I've seen to have classical music as your ringtone-ssu, even Midorima-cchi doesn't do that-ssu." He smiled, perhaps a more genuine smile than her own, but Kikue could still recognise the forced friend-making smile. Or was that how he got all his fan girls to swoon? Kikue couldn't tell, but she understood one thing - Kise Ryōta was the same type of person as herself. "Ah, I didn't mean anything bad by that by the way-ssu!"

"I gathered," Kikue replied with a softer smile, slightly amused by the blond. "People often tell me such,"

"Kise-kun! How about going to karaoke with us this afternoon?" A girl yelled from outside of the classroom. Kikue swallowed a smirk and watched as the blond moved so he could communicate with the girl and her friends, shooting her an apologetic smile before he did so.

"Sorry everyone, I've got basketball practice this afternoon," He chimed, his face apologetic. However, Kikue could hear his slight relief he could get out of the situation. Did someone like him also get sick of fans sometimes? Kikue didn't want to know. She heard a collective sigh of disbelief from the girls, but they did not press him. The freed Kise turned him attention back to Kikue. "Matsui-san, you don't seem to believe me-ssu."

"You don't seem to believe yourself either Kise-san," Kikue replied teasingly, then turned her attention away from the frowning blond as her phone began to ring. "Sorry, I'm going to step outside and take this."

"Ah, sure-ssu," Kikue stood up promptly and made her way out into the corridor, catching the muttered, "Matsui-san, you're going to get told off by the teachers."

"Miyuki-nee, I didn't think you would contact me out of the blue like this!" Kikue answered excitedly as she picked up the phone, settling herself on the roof top that not many people visited due to the unstable spring weather. "I thought you forgot about me,"

"Of course I'm not gonna go and forget you Kiku,"

"How have you been lately?"

"Not as well as you apparently Kiku, champion again?"

"They were all weaker than me, there's nothing wrong with winning," Kikue replied, pouting slightly at the teasing. "I regret not taking a scholarship right now, I've got an ultra annoying person in my class."

"Oh come on, can't be _that_ bad."

"He talked to me, and he's ultra popular with the other girls."

"Ah, good luck Kiku, I've got something now, I will see you this Sunday in Tokyo ok?" Her friend did not wait for a reply before hanging up the phone and leaving Kikue sighing. But Kikue smiled genuinely to herself. Miyuki was one person she could get along with. Making her way back into the school building, she heard the bell ring just as she exited the third years' floor. She was late. However, the fact that she was late did not stop Kikue from taking her sweet time to get down the stairs. She knew if she said it was an important call, the school wouldn't question her. It _was_ the arrangement after all. She walked into homeroom perhaps five minutes late, drawing quite the attention, however, she gestured to her phone and the teacher motioned her to sit down. She did.

"Matsui-san is it?" Kikue nodded as she greeted the girls that swarmed her table during class intermission. "You weren't here during the first week, did something happen?"

"I was at a training camp," Kikue started, then seeing the excited faces of the girls, decided to downplay her achievement. Though she would've done so either way. "It's nothing big, just something I've been doing since junior high, mahjong that is."

"Mahjong?" One of the girls questioned. Kikue nodded with her half smile. "That ultra complicated game?"

"Once you get the hang of it, it's not too difficult." Kikue replied curtly, giggling slightly at the reactions of the girls surrounding her. "My grandfather plays it quite a lot, so I must've subconsciously learnt."

"Matsui-san, did you have an interview in Monthly Sports before?" Another of the girls asked. Kikue tilted her head slightly, and smiled when she remembered, and nodded. "You said it's nothing big as if you haven't gained the title of the strongest middle school mahjong player and the strongest world junior division player for three consecutive years!"

"I mean, it's not as if many people play mahjong."

"And your grandfather is a world ranking professional."

"Wow, that's amazing!"

"Matsui-san is so modest!"

"And she's super cute!"

"Like, the perfect girl!"

Kikue smiled, somewhat glad that the world had forgotten about her primary school achievements. Except, unlike her grandfather and her father, she was by no chance used to people, she took after her mother in that sense.

"Matsui-san, if I remember correctly, you scored quite high in the entrance exam didn't you?"

"I didn't score that high, I mean, there was a girl who scored perfect," Kikue smiled, wishing desperately that the girls would lose interest in her soon. She doubted so however.

"Ah, Nakazuki sits right next to you Matsui-san." The lack of suffix drew Kikue's attention as she turned to see the girl that sat next to her. Large glasses that were, Kikue noticed, flat; and a fringe that covered half of her glasses. Timid aura with an underlying tone to not draw attention to herself. Kikue almost smiled. That was someone she could be friends with. Given that the other wished so. "But Matsui-san, is there anything you're bad at?"

"Plenty, no one is perfect after all." Kikue replied just as the intermission bell rang. The girls quickly said their goodbyes before returning to their perspective seats. Kikue looked into her school bag and almost grimaced - she had forgotten her history text book. Smiling to herself, she turned to the black haired girl, and found the girl looking at her.

"I forgot my text book."

"We can share," Came the response with a genuine smile, which was returned with a genuine smile of Kikue's. "I will move my desk over."

"Nakazuki-san, is there a place that's not populated with people?" Kikue asked as the lesson drew near, writing the question down onto her notebook, pushing it slightly over so that the other girl could see it.

"We've got an unused music room on the same floor." Came the reply a few seconds later.

"Could you please show me the way?"

"Sure."

"Matsui-san is actually bad with people is a fact that no one would've thought was possible," Was the first thing the girl said to Kikue after they closed the door behind them for peace and quiet. "You're so well-liked by the media as well."

"Because I say what they want to hear." Kikue replied as she took a seat in the empty seat.

"That takes quite a bit of skill too Matsui-san."

"People call my father and grandfather that," Kikue sighed. "Kikue is fine, Hacchan doesn't seem like a bad person."

"No one else is a bad person you know Ma-Kikue-san."

"Kikue."

"Then, Kikue-chan?"

"Fine," Kikue relented. "I'm somewhat vexed that I didn't take a scholarship now."

"Why?"

"The blond in our class." Kikue replied simply, which Hatsuna seemed to understand without further explanation.

"Kise-san seemed to have taken a bit of interest in Kikue-chan this morning," Hatsuna said, then added as Kikue looked at her, slight confusion masking her features. "Kise-san is rather cold towards people he doesn't have interest in."

"Do you reckon if I take a scholarship now they would still want me?"

"I'm sure they would Kikue-chan, but-" Hatsuna was cut off abruptly as the door opened and then only to be closed again within seconds. The person who had came into the music room was the person Kikue wished to see last - Kise Ryōta. "Ah, Kikue-chan, for someone who plays a luck based game, your luck isn't overwhelmingly good."

"I didn't need to hear that Hacchan," Kikue replied as the two girls stared at the boy who had burst in. "I'm presuming, Kise-san, you're here to avoid fans?"

"Correct-ssu," Kise replied. "Matsui-san is the same right?"

"Yes, but they're not exactly my fans."

"Come to think of it, Matsui-san, what do you play-ssu?" Kise asked.

"Search it up, I'm sure I'm all over the news." Kikue sighed, no longer bothering with her façade which she was sure Kise saw through in the morning. "If not, one of my family is bound to be."

"Matsui-san, I'm being disliked aren't I-ssu?"

"Yes."

"Kikue-chan."

"Too popular, the fans are always really loud," Kikue replied. "Too tall, and we're somewhat alike."

"Matsui-san is strange-ssu."

"And so I am told," Kikue replied as she reluctantly set her eyes onto the piano, then quickly looked away. She did not notice Kise's gaze on her as she stood up and walked towards the window, where Hatsuna stood. "I dislike excessive human interaction."

"I think I know why Kise-san is interested in you now, Kikue-chan." Hatsuna told Kikue as they walked to the first gym after school. Hatsuna had informed Kikue beforehand that she was not one of Kise's fans, and Kikue had teased Hatsuna about liking someone else from the basketball club, which Hatsuna had not denied.

"Why?"

"Kise-san is well liked by girls right, but Kikue-chan shows open hostility towards Kise-san."

"Open hostility?"

"Well, if you look past Kikue-chan's nice girl façade, then yes."

"Should I tune it down a bit?"

"I think Kikue-chan is fine as you are though."

"Only Hacchan would think so," Kikue sighed, then took out her phone. "Nee Hacchan, I can't stay today, show me the guy you like next time."

"Ah sure, sorry I kind of just dragged you along."

"It's fine, I'm used to being dragged around."

"Then, see you tomorrow Kikue-chan."

"Sure Hacchan."

"Visitor for Matsui-san, is that right?" Kikue nodded at the smiling receptionist, who had already remembered her. "Here is your pass."

"Thank you." Kikue replied with a genuine smile and made her way to her grandfather's room.

Once she reached the room, she knocked, and heard the familiar voice of her grandfather.

"Come in."

"Grandpa~" She chimed as she walked in. "Sorry about last week."

"How was the camp?"

"Bo-ring, there was no one I could have a decent game with," Kikue complained truthfully. "And listen to this, I've got a minor celebrity in my class, and all the girls are always squealing. It makes me wonder why I didn't take the Rinkai scholarship."

"Do you have your eyes on him?" Was a good-natured smile and joke from her grandfather. Kikue pouted.

"I do not. But on the other hand, I made a friend."

"Which you haven't done since primary school." Matsui Mikage pointed out to his granddaughter, who narrowed her eyes at him jokingly.

"Grandpa, you're being mean!" Kikue whined, then the two burst into laughter.

Returning from the hospital, Kikue passed a SevenEleven, which she decided to visit quickly to get dinner. She was not in the mood for cooking, and it was late anyways. She walked into the convenience store and immediately wanted to back out. Except, Kise had already seen her.

"Ah hold on-ssu Matsui-san~"

"Another one of your fan?"

"Matsui-san from my class-ssu, she's probably on the same social standing as I am-ssu." Kise replied to the shorter, but stern looking male next to him. Kikue had no choice but to greet them, she couldn't be rude to a senpai now could she. "Matsui-san, why are you out so late-ssu?"

"Getting dinner?" Kikue replied uncertainly, feeling entirely too uncomfortable standing next to two people much taller than she was. Thankfully the stern looking male chose to stand next to Kise, looking slightly more rigid since Kise called out to Kikue, as she noticed. She turned to the male, and introduced herself. "Good evening, I'm Matsui Kikue."

"Kasamatsu Yukio, third year. This idiot's captain."

"That's mean-ssu Senpai~"

"It's the truth." Kikue watched as Kasamatsu whacked Kise on the back of his head. They had followed her as she walked towards the bento section. She picked up the first thing she saw and made her way to the check out - she was not picky about food.

"Well then, I've gotten what I needed. I will, see you again, Kise-san, Kasamatsu-senpai."

"It's late, I'm heading home," Kasamatsu said, then to Kise. "Kise, send her home."

"Hai hai Senpai~"

Kikue paid for her food and walked outside, Kise right besides her. She walked slowly, and once she was sure Kasamatsu was no longer in sight, she turned to Kise.

"You can head home if you want, I can manage fine without someone sending me home."

"That's cold-ssu Matsui-san," Kise smiled. "You're a girl, what if there's some stalker lurking around-ssu?"

"I've made it home every other time," Kikue replied, looking down at the road. She had not been pampered to such an extent for a long time. "It's an inconvenience to you."

"Matsui-san, its common sense to send a girl home at this time-ssu. You should accept gentleman acts."

"Then, do as you please." Kikue replied. Silence fell between the two.

"Matsui-san?" Kise started, breaking the short silence.

"What is it?" Kikue asked.

"Do you like classical music?" Kise asked, and noticed the slightest flinch from Kikue. But before he could say anything else, Kikue spoke.

"I do, why do you ask?" A slight tremulous note, but otherwise normal.

"Before, at the office, your ring tone was classical music-ssu," Kise replied. Kikue looked up at him with surprise all over her delicate features, as if asking silently how he remembered. "It was so weird I just kind of remembered you know-ssu."

"I seriously don't want to be called that by you." Kikue sighed, as if she was relieved of something. Before he could filter his words, Kise asked Kikue the next question.

"Then why did you avoid looking at the piano this afternoon-ssu?"

"That's none of your business." The reply came so fast that Kise stopped in his tracks. There was no trace of the soft-spoken tone from the morning, either was there a trace of the resigned way of speaking she had used in the afternoon. Replacing the two sides of Matsui Kikue he knew was a nervous sounding girl who acted as if he had just trodden onto a landmine. He probably had. Then her tone softened, and she looked at him with a somewhat annoyed expression. "Sorry, that was a little snappy. But, I don't want to talk about it."

"Sorry-ssu."

"You didn't know." Was all Kikue said.

"Hacchan, it's seriously as you said, I've got horrible luck." Kikue said as they walked back to the music room after getting their lunch at the cafeteria. Kikue ran a hand through the ends of her chestnut coloured hair, feeling as if they were knotting up.

"What happened?"

"I ran into Kise."

"Kikue-chan, we're still out in the open."

"I am aware."

"Maybe tone it down a little when we're out in the open."

"Why? If it's the fans, about half the year is on sports scholarship, just use that against them." Kikue said nonchalantly. "I memorised the spreadsheet with all the information and stuff."

"And how did you get that spreadsheet?"

"I didn't get it, I was in the staff room before, greeting teachers, they had it out in the open," Hatsuna heard her friend say. "I took a look at it."

"For how long exactly?"

"Two seconds?" Kikue replied as she turned to face Hatsuna.

"Kikue-chan, what place in the rankings were you?"

"For what?"

"The entrance exam."

"Fifty something?"

"Did you try?"

"Is that a trick question Hacchan?"

"No," Hatsuna sighed as her friend opened the door to the music room, revealing Kise, who was probably on the run from fans, again. "Hello Kise-san, also Kikue-chan, I want you to answer me honestly."

"I slept through half of the exam because I was so incredibly jet lagged." Kikue replied and waved at Kise.

"Matsui-san, Nakazuki-san, am I intruding-ssu?"

"Yes." Kikue replied.

"No, it's quite alright," Hatsuna said in time with Kikue. The two girls looked at each other and Kikue shrugged. "Kikue-chan, I bet you're the type to score perfect if you tried."

"I'm not you, Hacchan."

"Kise-san, since you're here, please listen to this girl!" Hatsuna said, perhaps purposely involving Kise in their conversation, knowing it would make Kikue annoyed. "She slept through half of the entrance exam, yet still got in the 50s."

"It's not even that good."

"I think that's amazing-ssu!" Kise exclaimed. "I'm bad at academics, so I would never be able to get that kind of ranking-ssu."

"Then how about Hacchan," Kikue started, ignoring Kise with only a side glance to acknowledge his words. "Explain why you wear those glasses."

"Kikue-chan, no mercy whatsoever huh?"

"They're not for vision-ssu?"

"They're flat, Kise-san." Kikue replied.

"Come to think of it, they are a little different from what Midorima-cchi's glassessu."

"Kise-san, you just bailed Hacchan out of an answer." Kikue sighed as the bell for class rang. "Oh well, we will know sooner or later."


	3. Chapter 2

_This story, and I'm not apologetic about it at all, has relatively dark themes and really slow start. But I feel like it's one of those stories that I've really taken time to develop and even if Kikue sounds somewhat beyond normal human capacities, she is, in fact, really relatable. Maybe. Anyways, for the lovely human being (or if you identify yourself as a dragon that's fine too) that has chosen to follow the story, and for the people tuning in for the first time - Have fun reading and thank you for tuning in~_

* * *

Leaving the mahjong parlour she often visited with her grandfather and father, Kikue made her way to her mother's favourite place - a small instrument shop on a corner turn near the shopping district by the name of ShiOto. She had visited her grandfather earlier in the day, he had seemed much better, which was a relief, and since it was a Saturday, she decided she had some time to spare before heading home.

"Welcome, oh, if it isn't Kikue-chan." Kikue was greeted by the same familiar face of the shop owner - Kichiraku Shiori.

"Hello Shiori-san," Kikue greeted. The little shop smelled of wood and polish. The tiny space crammed with instruments of all sorts had always put Kikue at east, albeit she had not visited in a long time. It reminded Kikue of the competition halls she had been much too active in during her primary school years. It also reminded her of her mother - who had been a famous violinist. "How has the business being fairing?"

"The usual, the usual. How are you finding senior high school Kikue-chan?"

"One of my classmates is a minor celebrity, his fans are really annoying, but otherwise it's not much different from junior high." Kikue replied as she stopped near the piano. It was a huge object that occupied much of the tiny store, but it was always finely tuned, and never off pitch.

"Would you like to revisit the piano?" Shiori asked. Kikue froze for a split second, and looked around the shop. There was no one else but Shiori, and she knew she could probably trust Shiori to not pass her judgment or pity. Kikue nodded tentatively. Shiori sighed in what seemed to be relief. "I thought you would never play again."

'That is, if I can play.' Kikue thought to herself as she took a seat on the stool. There was no music score in front of her, but Kikue was fine with that, her fingers remembered the movements and guided her.

"Fantaisie-Impromptu Op.66, I haven't heard that in a while." Was all that was registered in Kikue's mind before her fingers froze. It was the piece she had played during her last competition. She stared at the piano blankly, not even thirty bars into the piece. Then she felt the shaking, and forced herself to grip onto the stool side. Finally, as if she had turned into a machine, she turned slowly to look at Shiori, who looked at her with worry, concern, and the worst thing out of all - pity.

She closed her eyes.

She grabbed onto the stool harder.

She forced herself to calm down.

After what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes again. She looked at Shiori again, and smiled a genuine, though still shaken, smile.

"I apologise, I wasn't even thirty bars in." Kikue apologised. "I didn't think it would be so bad still."

"No, I'm the one that needs to apologise." Shiori apologised.

"I don't mind," Kikue replied. "If I stay here, you won't get any more customers, so I will take my leave now."

"See you next time Kikue-chan."

Kikue walked out of the shop into a bustling crowd, and if on cue, she felt countless pairs of eyes set on her trembling self.

 _'She's a genius.'_

 _'Perfect pitch and such masterful playing at such a young age.'_

 _'She's_ that _Kinoshita Kaede's daughter, she's got a bright future ahead of her.'_

She leaned against the wall, wanting to disappear.

It was the same sinking feeling every time.

 _'It's a shame she can't play anymore.'_

 _'She could've made it to the world.'_

 _'She would've passed even her mother.'_

"This feels even worse than before," Kikue muttered to herself and laughed bitterly. She forced herself to stand up straight, and walk. "The shaking won't stop."

Her brain auto piloted her onto the road to her house. Kikue walked without noticing her surroundings. She was so glad, even though she knew she shouldn't be, that her grandfather was not home. She was not ready to face her grandfather after yet another episode of her break down. Then, as her thoughts delved deeper into her past, a hand landed on her shoulder. Kikue jumped, and turned to see…someone she didn't know. Two guys were saying something to her, but her brain refused to process the sounds. Their talking seemed to blend in with the sounds from her past. And then, another shadow fell over her, as a hand moved the one that was on her shoulder. Kikue registered bright blond before the sounds registered back into her brain.

"The little bitch was ignoring us."

"She's with me."

"And so?"

"I'm saying, you should leave her alone." Short silence followed.

"Tch, fine."

"Matsui-san, are you alright-ssu?" Familiar blond hair, the presence was now overwhelmingly calming. "Matsui-san?"

"Ah, hello," Kikue managed. She realised then that she was still trembling like a new born fawn, and willed herself to stop. However, the trembling continued. "Thank you Kise-kun."

"Were you scared-ssu?" Kise asked. Kikue blinked a few times, and slowly shook her head.

"I'm not scared of them," Kikue replied after a short silence.

"Matsui-san, are you alright-ssu?"

"I'm…" Kikue trailed off as she tried to make up some plausible lie for her shaking, only to find her brain still unable to function.

"I will walk you home-ssu Matsui-san."

"That would be…much appreciated." Kikue replied numbly, and without a second word set off in the direction of her house. She knew for a fact she still trembled like a fawn, but she no longer made any effort to stop herself. It had been a long time since she showed her weak side to anyone, she even stopped showing them to her grandfather. Even if she thought Kise was annoying (only sometimes), he wasn't a bad person, and he helped her. "Thank you for this, Kise-kun."

"It's fine-ssu, come to think of it, Matsui-san, it's the first time you've called me Kise-kun." Kise said nonchalantly as he took Kikue's hand. Kikue was vaguely aware of how big his hand felt compared to hers, how thin her fingers were compared to his, her fingers that used to dance across the keys of the piano. He felt so warm, so real. "It's always Kise-san."

"Well, for that moment, you were my knight in shining armour," Kikue smiled. She did not make any move to separate her hand from Kise's hold, instead, she made a conscious move to hold onto his hand. "Even though you're normally annoying."

"Matsui-san, that's mean-ssu."

"Your fans are always really loud." Kikue pointed out.

"That's hardly my fault-ssu!"

"It is." Kikue giggled.

"Would you tell me what you play now-ssu Matsui-san?" Kise asked. "Since I was you knight for a moment-ssu."

"That's another story," Kikue replied with a smirk. "Seriously, it wouldn't kill you to just type my name into the search bar, no?"

"If Matsui-san doesn't want to tell me, then I will just have to wait until Matsui-san is fine with telling me-ssu."

"So you _do_ have at least one redeeming point." Kikue joked. She had stopped trembling now, and was feeling a lot less faint. It was time she brought back her normal personality. "Come in for tea if you've got the time, I'll make you dinner while I'm at it."

"Is that ok-ssu? Your family wise." Kise asked, pausing at the fence.

"It's fine, I'm alone at the moment." Kikue replied as she tugged at his hand to pull him in. Digging out her keys from her pocket, Kikue opened the door and stepped in to find a pair of slippers for the blond. Kise followed Kikue, and Kikue remembered. "Be careful of the-" She was cut off by a loud bang. "I was going to say, 'the doorframe', since my family doesn't have giants."

"Noted," Kise said while rubbing his head, slightly tearing up.

"The living room is to your right, make yourself comfortable," Kikue said as she bee-lined to the kitchen to get Kise an ice-pack. Once she wrapped the block in a towel, she returned to the living to discover Kise reading the tile records she had printed out the night before. She walked over and passed the ice-pack to Kise, who took it gladly. "Well, now you know what I play."

"This seems complicated-ssu." Was Kise's reply. Kikue couldn't help but giggle.

"Do you even know how mahjong is played?" Kikue asked as she walked over to the small bookshelf in the corner of the living room and took out a little book. She had bought the book three years prior when mahjong became more than just a simple hobby. "If you really want to read something to occupy yourself, then this would make a little more sense. I'll go change and fix dinner."

"Ah sure Matsui-cchi, I will read this-ssu."

"What's with the suffix?"

"I add -cchi to names of people I respect."

"I don't understand what I've done to earn your respect, but you do you Kise-kun." Kikue smiled as she left the living room. The wooden stairs creaked slightly from age as she stepped on them. The traditional type of Japanese housing that still contained sliding doors for the larger rooms and tatami mats. Kikue loved the house, it was homely. If that even makes sense. Once she was in a simple t-shirt and track pants, Kikue headed downstairs again, walking straight into the kitchen. On the counter near the kitchen door, she picked up her hair lackey, and put her hair into a simple ponytail before setting herself to work.

Having done preparation in the morning before she left, Kikue only took fifteen minutes to take the food to the living, where Kise was actually reading the book she gave him. Though, she chuckled to herself, he looked more confused than anything else.

"I hope you don't mind Japanese food." Kikue said as she set down the tray with the bowls. Kise looked up from the book and Kikue saw his eyes widen in excitement.

"Matsui-cchi, you're amazing, that looks really good-ssu!"

"Isn't it, just…normal?" Kikue replied, uncertain as to how she should react. She passed him a pair of chopsticks and the two dug in after saying their 'ittatakimasu'.

"It's much better than what my sisters make-ssu." Kise said as he ate.

"Well, I am in charge of the cooking in this house." Kikue replied with a smile.

"Still, no normal person can make food this good in fifteen minutes!"

"I prepared stuff in the morning," Kikue responded. "Well, I'm glad you like it."

* * *

"Matsui-cchi, just how smart are you-ssu?"

"What makes you think I'm smart?" Kikue asked as she looked up from her homework. Kise was sitting opposite of her, reading the book she handed to him before dinner. She had settled down with her homework after washing the dishes, and Kise had not left. Kikue didn't ask him to leave. His presence was welcoming, calming, and Kikue didn't mind him staying.

"You can understand this," Kise pointed to the book, and shut it, putting it down. "I don't get it at all-ssu."

"Well, my family has two professional mahjong players after all, and it's not that hard in practice." Was all Kikue said before returning her attention to the algebra she was working on. All of a sudden, she felt Kise's forehead touch hers as he leant forward to look at her exercise book. She was awfully aware of how close he was to her. "What's wrong?"

"That's next week's lesson isn't it-ssu?"

"Yes, so?"

"Why are you working on it-ssu?"

"So I don't have homework next week," Kikue replied. "And also because I feel like Hacchan gets annoyed it I don't try."

"But Sensei haven't explained anything yet-ssu."

"I read the textbook," Kikue said, then remembering something. "Do you want pudding? I made some the other day."

"Matsui-cchi, you can do anything-ssu," Kise half complained. "If you don't mind, then I would like some pudding-ssu."

"There's stuff I can't do," Kikue said, setting down her pencil and standing up to head to the kitchen. "Like…I don't know, modeling?"

"Matsui-cchi is cute, do you want to try?"

"No, I will pass," Kikue said quickly, grabbed some pudding, and returned to the living room. "Have this and then go home, it's getting close to curfew, and I honestly do not need to deal with your fans."

"Matsui-cchi~"

"Do you want to be arrested?"

* * *

 _Author's note -_  
 _So Japan has a society curfew for children under a certain age and if you're out in school uniform past the curfew you will be arrested. Or at least, they will take you and call your parents/guardian. It's a funny thing._

 _Murasaki xxx_


	4. Chapter 3

Hatsuna was worried about her friend. Kikue had told her that she was going to Tokyo on Sunday, and then sent her a message over LINE at midnight telling her she would be absent for the Monday, but it was already Wednesday, and she never got a second message from Kikue. She sat alone in the music room and failed to read her book for the nth time.

"Nakazuki-san," Hatsuna looked up from her book to see Kise enter the room. "Do you know why Matsui-cchi hasn't been at school-ssu?"

"She said she was over in Tokyo for Sunday and Monday, but I don't know anything else." Hatsuna replied, noting somewhere at the back of her head the newfound nickname. "I'm getting seriously worried."

"Tokyo-ssu?"

"Kikue-chan said she's got a good friend there," Hatsuna replied, then set down her book. "Should we go ask where she lives so we can check?"

"If it's where Matsui-cchi lives, I know-ssu." Kise replied. Hatsuna blinked a few times. When had their relationship improved so much Kikue was letting Kise go to her house? Just a few days ago Kikue had said that she disliked Kise. Hatsuna decided she had some questioning to do once she knows that Kikue is alive. "I walked her home twice-ssu."

"Ah, right," Hatsuna responded. "We should go after school, wait, Kise-san do you have club activities?"

"Hacchan, where are you going after school?" Kikue's voice followed the sliding of the door, and Hatsuna turned to see Kikue in school uniform, walking in nonchalantly. "I was in Tokyo the entire time, long story."

"And you didn't tell me?"

"Long story, we were hiding from some people." Kikue replied, noticing that Kise was giving her a look of doubt, knowing he saw through her lie. "I will give you Miyuki-nee's contact details later, she can explain."

"Ah it's fine, but Kikue-chan, next time give a warning ok," Hatsuna said, then looking at the time, stood up and grabbed her book while dashing off. "I promised to help Shinomiya-sensei so I will see you in the afternoon class."

"Sure, have fun Hacchan," Kikue replied, and waited until Hatsuna was well out of ear-shot before turning to Kise. "So, how did you see through my lie?"

"Matsui-cchi looks really jittery right now-ssu."

"I was in Tokyo, just because I didn't want to come back," Kikue said quietly. "It's a long story, I will tell you some day."

"Then how about a change of pace Matsui-cchi," Kise suggested. Kikue looked at him quizzically. "Accompany me somewhere this afternoon-ssu."

"What am I doing?"

* * *

Kikue questioned the reason why she was once again in Tokyo, but found no valid answer from herself. She was with Kise, at a school called Seirin.

"Oh so this is Seirin, as expected from a new school, it looks nice-ssu."

"Why are _you_ here again?"

"To give Kuroko-cchi my greeting." Kise replied to the slightly irritated Kikue with a bright smile.

"Then why am _I_ here?" Kikue questioned.

"A change of pace Matsui-cchi!" He replied with the same bright smile. "Ah, hold onto my phone for me, I might drop it by accident-ssu."

"So I'm here to be your maid," Kikue complained, nonetheless taking the phone, putting it securely with her own in her skirt pocket. She mentally prepared herself as she heard the muttering in the background. "Where are we heading?"

"The gym, to visit my junior high friend-ssu."

"You had friends?" Kikue joked. Kise looked at her slightly hurt, with the same tearing up expression she had seen once before. "I'm joking, on the other hand, I'm pretty sure you have club activities right now."

"I will probably get told off later-ssu." Kise replied, shrugging as if to say 'what can I do about it'.

"Then why are you even here." Kikue sighed as she followed Kise into the Seirin gym. Slowly, she slipped into the background, just as Kise's fans surrounded him.

"On top of that, Kise, isn't he the rumoured model?" She heard someone say from the court just as she leaned on a wall.

"For real?"

"He's right there." Kikue muttered to herself as the fans formed a line to get his autograph. Just how do they know to carry around autograph boards all the time was beyond Kikue.

"Ah, I didn't come for this," Kise said with an awkward smile. The entire court turned to look at him. "I'm seriously sorry-ssu…err…do you mind just waiting a few minutes?"

Once he was done, with the signing, and the fans left, Kise jumped down from the bench he was sitting on.

"Wha…why are you here?"

"That's my question." Kikue muttered.

"Well, when I heard the next opponent was Seirin, I remembered it was the school Kuroko-cchi joined-ssu. So I came to say hi. Since we were the ones getting along the best in middle school right-ssu?" Kise said. At that moment, Kikue realised that there was someone near Kise. Light blue hair, perhaps a little taller than Kikue.

"Not particularly."

"So mean-ssu." Kikue almost laughed when the male replied. She was going to presume his name as Kuroko, taken in account Kise's weird nickname system. "I'm glad I was called one of the Generation of Miracles, but in other words, that just means I'm the weakest of the bunch-ssu."

"Explain the cockiness in your eyes Kise." Kikue muttered to herself once again.

"That's why Kuroko-cchi and I were picked on often, right-ssu?"

"I wasn't particularly picked on."

Kikue couldn't help but laugh at Kise's expression. Which of course, resulted in pairs of eyes turning their focus onto her. "Ah, please don't mind me." Kikue said quickly.

"Now Matsui-cchi is laughing at me-ssu." Kise said, and then, before Kikue could warn him, a basketball was hurled at him. Kise's quick reflexes helped him block it with his arm. "Ouch, wait…what?"

"Sorry to mess up your reunion after a long time, but you didn't just come all the way here for a greeting right?" Kikue looked at the person who spoke. Tall, dark red hair, and for god knows what reason, had split eyebrows. "How about being my opponent for a bit, Ikemen-kun."

Kikue almost burst out laughing once again, however, under the tense atmosphere, she stayed quiet. Her attention was pulled away from Kise who loosened his necktie to the phone that vibrated in her pocket. It was Kise's phone, and she saw the caller ID as Kasamatsu-senpai. After a short pause, she picked up.

"KISE WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Came the raging voice. Kikue held the phone away from her ear before awkwardly replying.

"Uh…Kasamatsu-senpai is it?" Kikue started hesitantly. "I'm Matsui from the other day. As to what Kise-kun is doing…he is currently at Seirin, and well…" Kikue trailed off and looked at the court, where she was just in time to see Kise pass the red head and make the dunk. She turned her attention back to the angry Kasamatsu. "He is showing off I believe."

"Seirin? That's the school we have a practice match against, what's he doing there?"

"He said he wanted to greet his middle school friend." Kikue replied, noting that the voice had changed over the phone, however, her attention was on the court. "I believe he is now trying to recruit his friend to Kaijou."

"What?"

"He got rejected, quite formally I might add." Kikue commented, relaying the almost comical exchange. "And who is this I'm speaking to? So I can address properly."

"I'm Moriyama, Kasamatsu has just done to…direct the team."

"Ah, ok, Moriyama-senpai. If there is a message anyone would like me to relay to Kise-kun, I will do so."

"Tell him to get his butt back to training."

"Understood." Kikue replied as the line is cut. She walked over to the court, willing that no one pays her much attention. Walking up next to Kise, who still looked a little ticked, Kikue poked him with his phone. "I apologise for interrupting this wonderfully tense atmosphere, I'm sure you would have a great time staring down split eyebrows over there, but," Kikue paused, and handed Kise his phone. "You just got a call from Kasamatsu-senpai who, and I quote, told you, the idiot, to 'get your butt back to training'."

"Matsui-cchi, I'm not an idiot-ssu!"

"I've done my part, I'm leaving."

"Hold up Matsui-cchi, wait up-ssu!" Kise yelled after the retreating figure of Kikue. Kikue stopped at the gym door and looked back at Kise.

"Then hurry up." She turned slightly and looked at Kise, who was bid everyone farewell before he came running after her.

* * *

"Coach, what's wrong?" Koganei asked Riko, who had been looking vexed for a while since Kise left.

"I keep getting the feeling I've seen her somewhere before." Riko replied.

"She was all over the TV a while ago, she plays mahjong or something." Hyuga cut in. "Her grandfather and father were both pros, my old man was really excited about her wins."

"Mahjong?"

* * *

Kikue sneezed as they boarded the bullet train back to Kanagawa.

"Matsui-cchi, are you cold-ssu?" Kise asked.

"No, I have a feeling the people at Seirin probably knows me."

"You were there-ssu."

"Not that, from, wait, Kise-kun you made me forget," Kikue took out her phone from her pocket and dialed her grandfather's number. It connected after two tones. "Ah, Grandpa? I'm so sorry about not visiting today, I got dragged to Tokyo for a change of pace apparently." Kikue paused, as a bright smile spread across her face. Kise wondered where her grandfather was, since he did visit Kikue's house once before. "I'm on my way home now, so don't worry ok, I will definitely visit tomorrow." Kikue hung up the phone and turned to face Kise, with a slight pout. An expression Kise had not seen before. "I was meant to visit Grandpa at the hospital today."

"Woah, I'm so sorry-ssu Matsui-cchi!" Kise apologised. Kikue looked over at him with an expression that showed that she was far from amused, however, it quickly softened as she saw the genuine apologetic expression of the blond male.

"I'm not angry," Kikue said with a soft smile. "Your little skits and whatnot kept me thoroughly entertained. You're pretty good at basketball."  
"Are you feeling better now-ssu Matsui-cchi?"

"Better than I was before, that's for sure," Kikue replied after a short pause. "Thank you, Kise-kun."

"Glad I could help-ssu Matsui-cchi!" He replied brightly. Kikue responded with a genuine bright smile, and silence fell between the two. Though it wasn't uncomfortable, Kikue disliked silence as a rule, hence she looked for something to say.

"The light blue haired guy, was he part of your middle school team?" Kikue asked.

"That's Kuroko-cchi, his basketball is really something else-ssu!" Kise beamed. "I can't copy it at all, and its super amazing to see during matchessu."

"How, exactly, are you so hyper all the time?" Kikue wondered out loud. "That aside, your ability to copy others, does that apply to things other than basketball?" Kikue turned to look at Kise, who was looking at her with surprise written all over his features.

"Matsui-cchi knows about me-ssu!" He chimed. Kikue giggled at his childish display of emotions.

"My middle school club captain was a big fan, she went on about you all the time." Kikue said. Then added for good measure. "My memory is good so I remember even if I don't want to."

"Here I was thinking Matsui-cchi was interested-ssu."

"So? Answer my question." Kikue said, ignoring the Kise that feigned hurt from her comment. Kise blinked a few times and seemed to finally realise why she asked the question.

"If it's sports, then anything is ok-ssu."

"So mahjong is ok too?" Kikue teased, knowing mahjong was not technically a sport. Kise seemed to seriously consider the question for a while, and then shook his head.

"The concept is hard to grasp for me-ssu, I don't think I can." Kise replied honestly. Kikue giggled at his comment. "Don't tease me Matsui-cchi, it's not an easy game-ssu!"

"I know, I know," Kikue replied gently. "It took me a while too."

"Liar, you started in middle school and won all your middle school competitionssu," Kise pouted. "You even won the world junior championship-ssu."

"That's the media making me look good," Kikue stared at Kise, whom she presumed had finally put her name in search bar. "In the first year, I only won the Individuals at the end of the year, the beginning of the year, I lost completely."

"I can't imagine it-ssu."

"Why?" Kikue asked, surprised at Kise's response. However, Kise seemed even more surprised at her question.

"Because, Matsui-cchi seems so perfect all the time-ssu," Kise said after a few seconds. "Matsui-cchi gives off a sense of being able to everything and anything-ssu."

"There's plenty of things I can't do, Kise-kun." Kikue sighed with a smile.

"Like?"

"That's a story for another time, for now, we're back in Kanagawa."


	5. Chapter 4

Kikue was sitting in Kise's seat by the window with a juice box in one hand, while she half-heartedly listened to Hatsuna. It was after school and she had visited her grandfather the day before, and was told she didn't have to visit every day. Or more precisely, her grandfather had told her to do something she wanted to do with her free time, and not just visit him all the time. Kikue had pouted, but said yes to her grandfather nonetheless, though she had no idea what she could do with her free time.

"Kikue-chan, you're not listening to me are you?"

"Nope," Kikue replied and snapped her attention back to the annoyed Hatsuna. Hatsuna was holding her test paper as if it was an atrocity. "What's wrong with my test paper?"

"How? How did you only managed to pass?" Hatsuna questioned in disbelief. "I was quizzing you just then and you managed to answer everything correctly while half listening!"

"Hacchan, I passed, that's the point." Kikue said, leaning out of the window as she stared down to the courtyard. A flash of black and white uniform caught her eyes as she spotted the Seirin basketball club, whom she had briefly met before. Then she saw Kise calling out to them, and decided since she had not much else to do, to tune into their conversation.

"Kuroko-cchi~ ever since you turned me down so easily…I've been crying myself to sleep every night, geez," Kikue heard Kise say. She chuckled to herself as she finished her juice box. "Not a single girl has ever turned me down, you know?"

Unable to resist, Kikue threw the empty juice box out of the window and it landed right on top of Kise's head. She laughed at his shocked, then confused expression as he looked for the culprit. Leaning a little further out of the window, she called out to Kise. "If it's girls who would turn you down, there's two right here."

"Kikue-chan, can you actually listen to me?" Hatsuna protested weakly.

"Matsui-cchi, that was mean-ssu."

"You can bin that for me," Kikue said, ignoring the feigned hurt expression she has recently became accustomed to. Then she made an impulse decision. "I'm free this afternoon, I will go watch your game, probably."

"Really, Matsui-cchi?"

"See you in a bit," Kikue chimed and turned to Hatsuna, who was looking at Kikue as if to say 'what am I going to do with this girl'. "So Hacchan, please lead me to the first gym."

"Kikue-chan, why do you not know where the gym is?"

"I've never been there before, we use the third gym." Kikue shrugged. "I wasn't here for orientation either and this school has too many gyms."

"Alright Kikue-chan," Hatsuna sighed as she handed Kikue back her test paper and grabbed her bag. "So, what happened between you and Kise-san for you to be interested in basketball all of a sudden?"

"I got told by Grandpa to 'do something I want to do' with my free time instead of visiting him all the time, and Kise was right there," Kikue replied. "Plus, I want to figure out what song Kise is."

"Song?"

"To me, everyone is a piece of music," Kikue started, as she gathered up her belonging and followed Hatsuna. "Hacchan is La Fille aux Cheveux de Lin, Grandpa is Vivaldi's Spring. But I can't seem to pin Kise to one."

"Classical music?"

"Yup, I like classical music," Kikue replied as they stepped into the gym. They had made it just in time to see the red-haired male rip the hoop off the backboard. "What the actual…"

"I think the backboard was expired in the first place, but…"

"First he throws a basketball at an unsuspecting victim, now this?" Kikue sighed. "Is he insane?"

"Well…" The two girls stood, slightly paralysed as the full court was cleared out to be used. Kise was taking his time waving to all his fans as the court was being cleared, then his eyes settled to where Kikue and Hatsuna stood. He smiled and waved. Kikue numbly waved back, then took a step back, hoping his fans would not realise she was there.

"Kise is so going to get hit soon," Kikue muttered to her friend quietly as Kasamatsu walked towards Kise. The next thing Kikue saw was Kasamatsu kicking Kise for waving at the fans too much. "See, I told you."

"Kikue-chan, if I remember correctly, you are not so familiar with the basketball club you would know that."

"No, I'm not," Kikue replied. "I just put myself in Kasamatsu-senpai's shoes and my conclusion was that I would want to hit him."

"Kikue-chan, a while ago you claimed you disliked Kise-san."

"He's not too bad, plus, I am a childish person," Kikue said after a short pause. "I didn't like him because he's so similar to myself."

"But Kikue-chan isn't so…'I'm the best and I know it'," Hatsuna replied. "That kind of attitude just doesn't sit well with me."

"Hacchan values hard work," Kikue muttered absent-mindedly. "Sorry about earlier."

"Eh, why?"

"My test score, you were angry about that."

"I wasn't angry as such, just frustrated."

"That's Hacchan's version of angry," Kikue said and tuned herself back into the game. Kise was showing off yet again by making a dunk that was similar, yet more powerful than the red-haired male, whom everyone called Kagami. "The game pace is too fast."

"Eh?"

"It's like Vivaldi's Summer, fast and somewhat angry," Kikue elaborated. "It's like in mahjong, when someone tried to rush a hand. It always ends badly."

"Kikue-chan is knowledgeable about these kinds of things huh?"

"Not really, I just link it to something I'm familiar with." Kikue replied. She had realised at some point she could not take her eyes off the blond male. His form, even to someone like Kikue who was completely clueless about the sport, was smooth, beautiful and powerful. She was not sure whether those were the correct words, but Kikue stuck with them. "Hacchan, does Kise, always play like that?"

"He seems a little bit more fired up today, but normally he's not too much different."

"Is that so," Kikue muttered a reply, finding herself somewhat attracted by the blond. She blinked a few times, snapping herself back to reality. She did not need the attraction. For now, she just had to focus on her goal, even if her grandfather tells her otherwise. She did resolve herself, and for three years, chased after it blindly. It was in her reach, and she would achieve it, for the sake of her late father. Everything else, Kikue steeled herself to think, is unnecessary. "Hacchan, it's noisy in here, I'm stepping out for a bit."

"Kikue-chan, are you alright?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You look a bit, pale."

"I'm, fine." Kikue replied as she walked away from her concerned friend.

There were similarities between Kikue and Kise - both starting their perspective sports during middle school, both earning the title of genius in their perspective fields at a young age, both well-liked by the media, and both stood at the top of their fields. The similarities were not what Kikue disliked about Kise, in fact, she did not, she concluded, dislike Kise at any stage since their meeting. Kise himself was someone Kikue could find company in.

And Kikue then concluded, that the one she disliked was in fact, herself. She disliked herself who put up a façade in front of the media. She disliked herself who lost her passion. She disliked herself that was empty, blindly chasing after a goal she did not set for herself. Most of all, she disliked herself who could no longer play music.

"I'm more pathetic than I think." Kikue muttered to herself.

She had realised, perhaps subconsciously, that Kise would lose to Kagami, and hence would no longer stand at the top of his field. For a split second Kikue considered him a traitor. But what for, Kikue did not even know herself. Was she jealous of Kise? But what for?

Kise had teammates, yet she did not.

Kise could afford to lose, she could not.

Kise could set his own goals and change them, she could not.

Kikue had tied herself down with shackles before she had realised it. But Kikue realised one last thing - she did not mind tying herself down. She did decide on her own that she would be the requiem.

With her mind clear of confusion, Kikue decided she would take a walk before heading back.

"Kikue-chan, where did you go?"

"I went for a walk, by the looks of it, I took too long."

"We lost."

"I wonder what hurts more, Kise's pride, or his pride."

"They are the same thing, Kikue-chan."

"That's the point Hacchan," Kikue commented with a smirk, then looked over to see Kise crying. "Is that a normal thing to do?"

"I don't think so," Hatsuna replied and looked at her phone for the time. "Ah, I'm late, Kikue-chan I will see you tomorrow, bye!"

"Well, Hacchan took off like a rabbit." Kikue mused to herself, pondering what she would do. Realising Kise was gone from the gym, Kikue set out to find him.

At the drink fountains, Kikue found Kise conversing with a green haired male who held a frog toy in his left hand. She froze, standing dumbfounded at the doorway. And there she thought Kise was strange, Kise probably didn't hold a candle to the other guy.

"And I always carry with me my lucky item of the day, as my horoscope says," Kikue heard the green haired male say. "That's why my shots never go off nanodayo."

Kikue was sure that if the green haired male ever saw her expression, she would probably get told off, but she was judging him, and judging him hard. The male then launched into blood type compatibility, which made Kikue subconsciously take a step back. Then she realised, as he finished, he pointed to her, and Kise turned around.

"Ah, Matsui-cchi!" Kise waved at her. "Come meet Midorima-cchi."

"I'm Matsui Kikue, nice to meet you." Kikue introduced herself uncertainly, truthfully not wanting to be acquainted with the person named Midorima Shintaro.

"Midorima-cchi is the best shooter there issu."

"Is that so…" Kikue managed before a black-haired male with sharp eyes appeared in her vision. He rode on a bicycle…with an open trailer behind it. Kikue resisted the urge to bolt from her spot, and put on her poker face. She stood there silently as the rider of the bicycle complained to Midorima about ditching him at the traffic lights, then watched as the two left, with Midorima throwing some arrogant words behind. Kikue found herself frowning as they disappeared from her line of vision.

"Matsui-cchi, your face is scary-ssu."

"I," Kikue started. "Was thoroughly crept out," She shuddered, then as if completely erasing everything out of her mind, turned to Kise. "How does it feel losing for the first time?"

"Matsui-cchi, is this you rubbing salt into my wound-ssu?"

"No, it's a legitimate question." Kikue replied.

"I will beat them next time-ssu!"

"Well, that's a reactive feeling, but good enough," Kikue said and locked eyes with Kise. "Now that you've lost, you can find more."

"But sports is about winning, no-ssu?"

"That's the reason why you lost, Kise-kun." Kikue replied. "You need to learn to treasure what you have."

"I don't get it-ssu."

"Perhaps not now," Kikue replied, her expression softened. "Go shower and change, I will wait for you."

"What about your grandfather-ssu?"

"I got told to do something I want with my free time," Kikue replied dismissively. "Don't worry about it."

"Ah, ok, won't be long-ssu."

* * *

"So, Matsui-cchi, why are you voluntarily hanging out with me-ssu?"

"Hacchan went home in a hurry." Kikue said, giving no particular answer.

"Matsui-cchi, you, don't have friends from your middle school-ssu?"

"Not particularly, unless you count all the people I interact with my façade," Kikue replied honestly. "I don't particularly like interacting with people."

"Gap moe-ssu."

"Kise, I will refuse to talk to you," Kikue deadpanned. Then, pointing to a steak restaurant, Kikue spoke again. "Your friend, is going to come out of that restaurant in a bit."

"Matsui-cchi, how do you know?"

"I will explain some other time, but I presume you've got things to talk to him about, no?"

"Matsui-cchi is psychic~" Kise chimed, then transitioned into a more serious demeanour. "I won't take that long-ssu."

"I'm not in a hurry." Kikue replied as Kuroko walked out of the restaurant.

* * *

"Kagami-san was it? Why are you eavesdropping on their conversation?" Kikue asked the red head. He seemed to be slightly taken aback at her sudden appearance, and did not recognise her. "It's a strange way to introduce myself, but I'm the girl who dragged Kise out of Seirin the other day. The name's Matsui Kikue."

"Ah, the girl who had Kise's phone."

"That's an even stranger way to remember me, but that aside," Kikue paused a little, and pointed to the direction of Kise and Kuroko. "I believe it concerns you, you can probably listen in."

"But one day, he will definitely reach the level of the Generation of Miracles. He will be on a different dimension than the rest of the team. Do you think that guy will stay the same as he is now?"

"Woah Kise-kun, that's some grim stuff you speak of there." Kikue muttered to herself, then turned to gauge the reaction of Kagami…only to find him gone. Her gaze travelled back to Kise and Kuroko, just in time to see Kagami smack Kuroko. She quietly moved behind Kise and stopped eavesdropping, though she didn't quite mean to in the first place. Within seconds, the talk changed as Kuroko disappeared, only to reappear inside the street basketball court. He had left to help the people being bullied apparently. Kikue noted to herself that Kise and Kagami's initial reaction was shock, then a 'what do we do with this kid' expression appeared on both their faces.  
"Ah, Matsui-cchi, can you look after this for a while-ssu?" Kise's school bag was thrown at her, and she reacted to catch it. Kise didn't miss the fact that Kikue's hand had slipped and the school bag ended up hitting her on the forehead. Kikue glared at Kise for a bit.

Needless to say, the match ended in instant defeat for the bullies.

Kikue genuinely wondered how they still had the energy to play more basketball.

"Kuroko-cchi is troublesome sometimessu."

"Says you," Kikue complained as she hit Kise with his school bag on the arm. "Exactly what do you see me as?"

"Matsui-cchi is Matsui-cchi, no?"

"I've been wondering for a while, but are you two…going out?" Kagami asked. Kikue looked at the Seirin player, unable to reason how he had concluded so, and shook her head.

"We're in the same class, I just wound up hanging around him a lot for some reason." Kikue replied. "He's really annoying some times."

"Kise-kun, I believe you just got rejected by a girl." Kuroko stated.

"Matsui-cchi!" Kise whined. "I'm hurt-ssu."

"It's the truth," Kikue teased, then, upon seeing Kise's pout, giggled. "I'm joking, I wouldn't hang around if I think you're annoying."

"Matsui-cchi~" Kise beamed, then turned to the two Seirin players. "Well, it's about time we left, at least at the end, I got to play with Kuroko-cchi."


	6. Chapter 5 Kise Birthday Special Update

_It's Kise's birthday, but I didn't have anything to do a side-story yet, so I decided.  
Early Update._

 _On the other hand, thank you to **Elysa** who gave me the review that made my day. It was really nice of you to say that, and I'm glad you like the story. I will keep up the effort and hope you continue liking the story!  
_

 _Without further ado, please enjoy the extra update._

* * *

"Matsui-cchi, I just realised something-ssu."

"What is it?"

"Matsui-cchi's really short-ssu."

"Excuse me?"

"Matsui-cchi was pretty short compared to Kuroko-cchi."

"I'm average height Kise-kun," Kikue replied, somewhat annoyed that Kise was pointing out her height. She had no problem with it, just when someone who was an entire ruler taller than her points it out, it was as if he was mocking her. "You're just above average."

"I don't mean anything bad-ssu," Kise defended quickly, noticing that the brown-haired girl was slightly annoyed. "I just, kind of noticed?"

"And so your point pointing that out was?" Kikue asked.

"Just a fact-ssu! Matsui-cchi is cute as she is."

"Why do I have the feeling," Kikue started, stopping to stare straight at Kise. "That you are mocking me right now?"

"Matsui-cchi~ I'm not."

"Acting all high and mighty just because you're tall," Kikue muttered, though loud enough for Kise to hear. "Even though you lost."

"Matsui-cchi, I don't think that has any correlation-ssu." Kise whined.

"It so does." Kikue pouted.

"Matsui-cchi~"

"Come to think of it, I won't be at school next week," Kikue changed the subject suddenly. "I'm going to Tokyo, again, for about a week."

"What for?"

"I got special permission to take Grandpa's place in the Summer Worlds, given that I pass the prelims in Japan first." Kikue replied. Kise noted that Kikue's demeanour shifted - the normal, my-paced Kikue was replaced with a mysterious girl whose sole existence was to win. Perhaps that was how he seemed in basketball, or not.

"Can I watch?" Kise asked, and noticed how Kikue's demeanour shifted back as she looked at his quizzically.

"Why? Watching mahjong is super boring you know."

"Matsui-cchi watched my match today-ssu."

"That's so not a valid reason," Kikue laughed, but nonetheless took out her phone. "Give me your LINE ID, I will send a stream link once I get one. _Or_ , you can go to the public viewing."

"Public viewing?"

"Well, it's the mahjong parlour I normally go to with Grandpa," Kikue started and smiled. "Grandpa is getting special permission to leave during the week so he can watch." Kikue paused, then corrected herself. "I say that but, it's really just the matches I appear in. My first match is on the Tuesday, and if I pass that, I've got another on Thursday, and then Saturday."

"That seems like a tight schedule-ssu."

"Well, you only have to watch the Saturday one, because it's not like I won't pass the ones before," Kikue said confidently. "But then again, you're not obliged to watch any of it."

"I will watch it-ssu."

"Do as you please, you weirdo."

* * *

"Kise-san, why exactly are you here?" Hatsuna asked the blond male who had burst into the music room the moment lunch had started, and took out his phone. "Kikue-chan isn't here you know."

"I know-ssu, Nakazuki-san," Kise chimed and showed Hatsuna his phone screen. It showed Kikue's rankings. "Matsui-cchi's match was in the morning, I'm here so I can check her ranking without the teachers telling me off-ssu."

Unable to resist, Hatsuna took out her own phone and took a photo of Kise checking Kikue's rankings, and sent it straight to Kikue.

[What is this?] Hatsuna received a reply few seconds later.

[You gained yourself a dedicated fan.] Hatsuna replied. A moment later, her phone vibrated with an incoming call from Kikue.

"Hacchan, exactly what are you two doing on a school day?" Kikue's voice came through loud and clear as Hatsuna put the phone on speaker. Kise looked up from his screen and his eyes shone with recognition. "And Kise, with spare time to check my rankings and whether I passed, how about actually studying?"

"Eh, Kikue-chan, how did you know I put the phone on speaker?"

"It's a Hacchan thing to do," Was the reply. "If you get another thirty-eight on your test again Kise-kun, you might be in trouble at the basketball club."

"Matsui-cchi, how did you know!?"

"My student number is right behind yours Kise-kun." Kikue mused. Hatsuna swallowed a giggle as Kise paled and slowly put away his phone - it was as if Kikue held authority over him with just her voice. Hatsuna smirked. "Hacchan, please stop whatever you're thinking."

"I'm not thinking anything, Kikue-chan."

"I will tell Kise-kun who you like."

"Sorry Kikue-chan, I will stop!"

"Good," Kikue's smile could be heard in her voice. "I will be back on the Sunday, I'm hanging up."

And without waiting for a reply from her friends, Kikue hung up.

Hatsuna and Kise looked at each other and shrugged with smiles.

It was a Kikue thing to do.

* * *

"Kise-kun?"

"Eh, yes, I'm Kise-ssu." Kise turned to see an elderly man he had never met before, however, it seemed that the man recognised him.

"It's exactly like Kiku-chan said," The older man chuckled, and lead him to the side, where another older man sat. "Mikage, I found him."

Kise allowed himself to be lead around, albeit extremely confused. He presumed that Kikue had came up with yet another way to tease him, which was something he more or less accepted. The other man turned around to face him, and Kise immediately knew who he was - Kikue's grandfather. It wasn't as if they looked alike, but it was a gut feeling, since the two had a similar aura about them.

"I'm Matsui Mikage, Kikue's grandfather." He introduced himself.

"Kise Ryōta, nice to meet you," Kise hurried to introduce himself. "Matsui-cchi's classmate."

"We know," The man who led him said. "I'm Iwata Shunsuke, you can follow Kiku-chan and call me Shun-jiisan."

"Ah, yes." Kise found himself almost stuttering. It wasn't as if he was not used to meeting new people, but to have two elderly treat him like a grandchild was a new experience to him.

"No need to be nervous around us, Kikue asked us to explain anything you don't understand, so Shunsuke was looking for you." Mikage said to Kise, who looked a little embarrassed.

"Kiku-chan hardly ever ask for favours, especially for other people," Shunsuke laughed, gesturing Kise to take the side seat, which Kise took. "You're in good hands, both of us used to be professionals after all."

"Shunsuke, I still am."

"Not when Kiku-chan's taking your throne, no you're not Mikage." Shunsuke scolded the other man.

"Kise-kun, would Japanese tea be alright with you?" Mikage ignored Shunsuke, and instead asked Kise. Kise finally knew who Kikue inherited that trait from. Kise nodded, and Mikage moved to pour him a cup. Quickly, Kise stood up and moved to take the teapot from the older man. "You're the guest today Kise-kun, just enjoy Kikue's match."

"But…"

"No buts, just sit down and be charmed by our little princess," Shunsuke pushed Kise on the shoulder to make him sit back down. Unable to refuse any further, Kise sat back down. "But man you're tall, what's your height?"

"189cm." Kise replied.

"Kikue said you are a basketball player?" Mikage asked, creating small talk before the broadcasting. "Did you know, Kikue's really bad at sports that involves having to catch things."

"Eh, but Matsui-cchi does really well in sports class normally-ssu." Kise mused. Mikage laughed.

"Have you ever seen Kikue catch a single thing?" Mikage asked, still laughing. Kise thought back to the time he had, in a hurry, threw his school bag for Kikue to keep, and remembered how it had hit her forehead. "That expression says no, you can use that to tease her next time."

"Mikage, Kiku-chan is going to be mad at you."

"She's used to it," Mikage smiled, and winked at Kise, who got the message - tease Kikue when he has the chance. "Well, let us be quiet for now."

"Carrying the weight of both her father and grandfather's professional achievements, Matsui Kikue is the youngest player to ever step onto the International Mahjong Adult division. Would she be able to extend her International Junior Championships outside of her age bracket?" The announcer's excited voice came from the TV, as a shot of Kikue walking towards the match room was shown. Countless paparazzi littered the corridor sides, however, Kikue took no notice of them at all, only smiling her half smile as she walked with poise. "Now, all that attention is drawn to the fifteen-year-old since her first round in the Japan preliminaries where she ended the match by knocking out an opponent without needing to go to East Two. Would we still be able to see that with tougher opponents? The expectations are high!"

"How many bonus rounds…did Matsui-cchi end up with-ssu?"

"Ah, so you know about that," Shunsuke mused, and then with an evil smirk. "Second bonus round, she got a dealer haneman. It was almost brutal to watch."

"Kikue was a little annoyed that she was being looked down on," Mikage explained. "She's a prideful one."

"Ah, no wonder she got annoyed when I commented on her height-ssu," Kise mused to himself, causing Mikage to laugh once more. "I didn't even mean to insult her-ssu!"

"I'm sure you meant well," Mikage replied. "Kikue would lose it if she ever heard these commentaries. It's a relief she refuses to watch her matches back."

"She gets really touchy about Masato after all," Shunsuke commented solemnly. Then, as if sensing Kise's confusion, turned to Kise. "Kiku-chan's goal is to be top ranked in the world. Something her father, Masato, set himself to achieve before…"

"Before he passed away, Shunsuke, I'm not Kikue." Mikage said with a melancholic smile, looking at the screen where his granddaughter pressed on the button to roll the dice, signaling the beginning of the match. He then turned to Kise, his kind smile back on his kind features. "Kikue can tell you the rest, for now, let's all be quiet and watch."

"Is this the luck of a god or a devil? She declares double riichi, if she succeeds in ippatsu tsumo, it would be a 2000/3900 hand!" Kise trained his eyes onto the girl he has not known for very long. The Kikue that wore a passive expression with a sparkle in her honey brown eyes while she teased him was gone, in her place was a girl who wore the softest of smiles while her eyes felt as cold as ice. Kise noticed that her fringe was a little shorter, as if she had cut it especially to highlight her eyes. This Kikue did not seem like she was having fun. "And she succeeds! Now, how would the other pros react to this, the match is already in suspense."

It was then Kise somewhat understood Matsui Kikue as a person.

They were similar.

Perhaps, much too similar. How did he miss that when he read up? Kise wasn't too sure. But he knew that, for one, Kikue did not have a goal she herself set herself to achieve. Her current goal, as Shunsuke had said, was in place of her father. Then what did Kikue want to do? Win? That probably wasn't it, it would be useless to herself, even if she did say she was aiming for the top rank in so many interviews. If she had no clear goals, why did Kise become so close to her? Kise blinked as he arrived at the question. He was still watching the match, but his attention was drawn more to Kikue.

Kikue had no motivation, Kise could see from Kikue's interactions with Hatsuna. But that was also not necessarily true, because if that were true, what did she fear that time he ran into her? Kise found himself unable to take his eyes off the girl. She was by no means dazzling, but she was ever so intriguing, and Kise was determined to seek out the truth of the girl. The truth behind the perfect girl who seems to be able to do anything.

"Kise-kun, I heard from Kikue you waited for Kikue to tell you what she played?" Mikage asked, pulling Kise out of his thoughts. Shunsuke had moved without Kise's notice to chat with some other people. Various cheering was going on around the parlour, however, it was as if the cheering did not exist to the older man. Kise nodded. "Do you know what Kikue used to play before mahjong?"

"I didn't search that-ssu," Kise replied honestly. He had steered away from that purposely, but he had a feeling he knew the answer. "I might be able to make a guess."

"Go on."

"Piano?" Kise replied uncertainly. Well, for all he knew Kikue could've played any instrument, but he felt piano would suit the girl. Her fingers where that of a pianist's anyways, or so Kise could perceive. He saw the elderly smile and knew he had guessed correctly.

"A secret between you and me then Kise-kun," Mikage said. "Kikue is afraid to return to music."

"But she seems to want to return-ssu," Kise commented. "She doesn't seem to want to be honest with herself."

"Kikue is afraid of so many things, she choose to steer away from anything harsh she doesn't want to face," Mikage explained. Then gestured for Kise to look at the screen, where Kikue chanced to be given camera priority. "Look at her up there, you wouldn't think she's afraid of solitude would you?"

"Solitude?"

"That is her biggest fear," Mikage continued. "Yet she choose to isolate herself all the time."

"That sounds like Matsui-cchi," Kise chuckled with Mikage, then realised something. "Matsui-cchi's media personality is a carbon copy of Mikage-jiisan-ssu."

"I did say that she could just act herself," Mikage started. "But she said to me, 'Grandpa is a world ranking professional, I can't destroy your reputation', and forcibly made herself speak like that to almost everyone. I was wondering when she would get tired of that act."

"Well, Matsui-cchi gets along with Nakazuki-san at school-ssu," Kise said. "And I guess, maybe me too."

"If she was willing to ask Shunsuke and I to look after you today Kise-kun, she's quite fond of you." Mikage told Kise.

"She told me the first time I talked to her properly that she disliked me-ssu." Kise pouted.

"You two are really alike in some ways I suppose," Mikage said instead. "That is probably why she would've said that."

"I don't get it-ssu." Kise replied honestly.

* * *

"Carrying the names of your grandfather and father as well as the name of the strongest of Japan, what are your ambitions for the Internationals?" Kikue almost lost her smile at the question. She was winning because she wanted to take top in place of her father, her grandfather had nothing to do with anything, yet where-ever she goes the paparazzi always link everyone together. But of course, there was no way Kikue would let her real emotions ruin the image she's built for the sake of her grandfather's image crumble.

"I would like to finish what my father wished to accomplish, and gain the title of the strongest in the world," Kikue replied with her simple smile. "I will be counting on everyone's support in my effort this tournament. Thank you very much, I will try my best to perform at a level where I do not disappoint anyone."

"Thank you very much for staying for the interview, we shall be awaiting for favourable results."

Kikue walked away from the interview carrying herself with her usual grace. However, she was somewhat annoyed. No matter how much she showed off her strength, they would always look down on her because of her age and heritage. She was proud of her family, but she disliked the eyes of pity or underestimation she receives because of her family. She was afraid of attention as a result of her family; and she was even more afraid that her conduct would reflect badly on her family. The world's admiration was the only thing that Kikue could be sure her parents lived more extraordinarily than anyone else. And she was not going to ruin that with her own conduct. She couldn't do so.

Perhaps, Kikue often thought to herself, that was the reason why she had performed one last competition before leaving music for mahjong. She could just say she quit, instead of not turning up and attracting more pity. Perhaps, Kikue's only problem was her pride. She sighed and opened the door to her green room.

The familiar music piece of Spring by Vivaldi pulled Kikue out of her irritation and back into the real world, where she took out her phone to reveal her grandfather's number.

"Grandpa, how was it?" She asked without greeting. It became a ritual for her every time she finished an official match. It was not for self-assurance, purely something Kikue wanted to say.

"I was talking to Ryōta for more than half of the game," Kikue raised an eyebrow at how quickly Kise had familiarised himself with her grandfather, however kept quiet to let Mikage continue. "But the last hand was great."

"I knew I should've just sent him the link," Kikue started, knowing Kise was probably listening into the conversation in the background. "I was meant to be the star of the show."

"And deny this old man of meeting his new grandchild?" Mikage joked.

"What kind of magic did you use Kise-kun?" Kikue asked with a smile on her face. It was nice to hear her grandfather so happy. It's been a while. "I will be back tomorrow, and if Kise-kun has any embarrassing stories of me, you have the rest of today to forget it.

* * *

 _I want to just quickly say that if you don't know how mahjong is properly played, or how points are calculated in Japan, i know the first but not the second. It's ok if you don't know, it's not going to be a big part of the story. This isn't Saki (lolol)_

 _Murasaki xx_


	7. Chapter 6

_I feel drama, but I hate drama. Ok well, stories need drama, and Kikue is that kinda person. Moving along..._

 _Thank you to **Patateen** who left a review! Made my day, after I was called in to work for the next day. Improved my mood, definitely. Hope you continue to like the story and the interactions between characters~ I've planned a few special chapters to link Kikue with other characters in the series, so maybe look forward to those as well. _

* * *

"Matsui-cchi, why are you at school on a Saturday-ssu?"

"Because I've got nothing else to do," Kikue replied as she handed Kise his drink bottle. It was the club's break time and Kikue had just returned from hanging out the laundry as a result of feeling slightly useless if she just stood there. She was, of course, not meant to be at school, especially in her casual clothes, however, no one had told her off yet. She had gone to Hatsuna's the day before, and was told that her casual clothes gave only the image of her façade, and was told to get some clothes for when she wasn't putting out her nice girl act. Which Kikue complied by dragging Hatsuna shopping. She turned her attention to the blond sitting on the chair next to her. "Hacchan went to Chiba to visit her cousin for the weekend."

"And there is nothing else you want to do-ssu?" Kise desperately wanted to tell Kikue that wearing an off-shoulder shirt with her hair tied up was _not_ the best decision when she was on display for a bunch of boys. But he kept quiet.

"Well, I was planning to drag Hacchan here so I can play cupid, but, Hacchan isn't here."

"Cupid?"

"Hacchan likes one of the Senpais here," Kikue replied simply. "Just drink your water, I'm not telling you who it is."

"I haven't even asked-ssu Matsui-cchi."

"Your face told me everything I needed to know," Kikue said as she checked the time. "The second batch of washing should be done, I'll go hang it up."

"Kise, is she your this?" Moriyama asked as Kikue was out of ear-shot. He held up his pinky, the common sign for girlfriend/boyfriend.

"No-ssu, she's just here because apparently she had nothing else to do-ssu."

"At least she doesn't squeal like all your fans," Kasamatsu said as he walked over. "And she's doing a manager's job for whatever reason."

"Why don't our club have a manager again-ssu?" Kise asked, and received no reply.

* * *

"Ah, sorry, I wasn't looking at where I was going." Kikue apologised as she turned around with the washing basket only to walk right into another girl. Long black hair, complimenting facial features. Kikue could almost call the other girl a beauty. The other girl studied her for a moment, and looked somewhat surprised.

"Since when did the basket club have such a cute manager?"

"I'm, not their manager," Kikue replied quickly. "I felt bad if I just stood there to watch."

"Ah, but it's surprising, _that_ Kasamatsu hasn't chased you away yet?"

"No, I try my best to stay out of the way," Kikue replied, then realised she had been using informal speech to someone who was probably an upperclassman. "My apologies, I've been so casual."

"Ah no it's fine, I'm not too good with this stuff either," The girl replied, her dark brown eyes sparkling with kindness. "I'm Hazuki Mai, the president of the Choir club."

"Matsui Kikue, first year." Kikue replied.

"Ah, Matsui Kikue-chan? The entire school is idolising you right now, yet you're here doing the job of a club manager," Mai laughed as she took out the washing for her own club and walked with Kikue to the hanging area. "Could I ask why?"

"What would be the correct course of action to take then, Hazuki-senpai?" Kikue asked as the two set to work.

"Join a club? Ah but then Matsui-chan is probably busy."

"I'm not busy at all, hence why I'm here, but," Kikue paused for a second, then continued. "I don't know what I would be interested in."

"You can visit the choir club if you want to, Matsui-chan is cute too, so bonus points."

"Personal preference to steer away from music related clubs," Kikue said quietly, though Mai definitely caught it. "But thank you for the offer, Senpai."

"Ah sorry, I didn't know."

"It's fine, there's no way Senpai would've known my personal preference." Kikue replied.

"But know you're always welcome to come hang out with us," Mai said to Kikue, who finished up the last bit of laundry. "And also don't mind Kasamatsu too much alright?"

"Then, please keep quiet about me being here Senpai," Kikue started as she picked up the empty basket, then, as repayment for the kindness Mai showed her, Kikue spoke again. "Sakura no Shiori, you should tell the baritones to drop half a note at the beginning, harmony would sound a little better."

"Eh, Matsui-chan?" The upperclassman called out to her, though Kikue had already walked away. She did not want to overstay her welcome.

* * *

"Ah, now that practice has finished, can I ask everyone something?" Kikue started as the practice finished. The eyes of all the regulars trained onto her as she slowly took out her phone. "Is it ok," She continued, and turned her phone screen so that everyone could see. "For Kise-kun's test score to be so atrocious?"

"Eh, Matsui-cchi, where did you get that-ssu?"

"Your student number is one before me," Kikue said as the Senpais of the club glared at Kise, whose test score was a glorious 43. "He would need to pass before he can play, right?"

"Kise, what happened to the 'my grades are ok' I got from you the other day?"

"Either way, if one of the Senpais can fix this guy's brain, it would be great," Kikue said, ignoring the raging Kasamatsu and tearing Kise.

"But Matsui-cchi, you are my friend, you care right-ssu?" Kikue understood the meaning - please teach me.

"No, not particularly," Kikue replied with a smile, then dropped it to her usual passive expression. "It would be a bother is Hacchan got roped into tutoring you."

"Matsui-cchi~" Kise whined. "What did Matsui-cchi get then?"

"97?" Kikue replied simply.

"Eh?"

"What's going on?" Coach Takeuchi walked over to the group. Kikue showed the teacher the photo. "Kise, what did I say about passing?"

"B-but, it was really hard-ssu."

"Not it really wasn't," Kikue muttered quietly, but loud enough for the gathered to hear. "You're just really stupid."

"Matsui-cchi, you're just really smart-ssu."

"Please tell me you were taught the basics of linear and quadratic equations in middle school, because that was all you needed." Kikue retorted.

"Either way, Kise, you need to get your pass." Takeuchi said grumpily, and then turned to Kikue. "Am I meant to reprimand you for being here?"

"No, I don't think so." Kikue replied casually.

"At least you're not distracting." Takeuchi said before leaving in the same grumpy manner he always carried himself.

"Well then, I will just go fold the laundry as cleanup is going on." Kikue chimed.

* * *

"You didn't have to wait for me," Kikue told Kise, who had waited for her to finish folding the laundry like a loyal puppy. She closed the door behind her and shouldered her bag. "You could've just gone home."

"It's good manners to walk a girl home-ssu."

"Your manners are weird," Kikue commented, and quickly realised it was only one in the afternoon, and either of them had lunch. "Are you free for the rest of the day?"

"I am-ssu, why do you ask?"

"Would you like to keep me company?" Kikue asked, and received an affirmative. "Well then, lunch first, I hope you like ramen."

* * *

"Kikue-chan, it's been a while since you've been here!" She was greeted warmly by the owner of the ramen shop, Iwata Shuto. "Whoa, what a tall young man, your boyfriend?"

"If everyone says so," Kikue sighed as she took a seat on the bench and Kise followed suit. "Since no one believes me if I say no."

"It's the first time Kikue-chan ever brought a friend after all."

"Shuto-san, you're making me look bad," Kikue sighed once again, and then turned to Kise. "Feel free to order whatever you want, it's probably on the house."

"Probably?"

"I mean, Shuto-san is not obliged to not let me pay for food every time." Kikue replied.

"Matsui-cchi, please tell me you didn't plan to shout me lunch-ssu."

"And that's bad because?" Kikue questioned and Kise sighed. Frowning, Kikue continued. "I won't mind if you earn more money than I do, but that's not going to be the case."

"Kikue-chan, that's not the problem here," Shuto laughed, then turned to Kise to introduce himself. "I'm Iwata Shuto, and don't take what Kikue-chan said as an insult, she's always been a practical girl."

"Shuto-san, I'm sure I act according to common sense!"

"Normally it's the guy that pays." Shuto told the girl, who stared back at Shuto before looking over at Kise, who had a 'what can I say' expression.

"We're not going out, and even if we were, where is the logic?" Kikue pouted as the two males looked at each other and laughed, Kikue chose to change the subject. "Kise-kun, you should introduce yourself."

"Ah right-ssu," Kise replied, startled. "I'm Kise Ryōta, Matsui-cchi's classmate."

"Oh, the kid that turned up to the public viewing."

"Ah how nice for you Kise-kun, you get to be a little famous," Kikue teased as she took a sip of the water Shuto set down in front of the two. "With old people."

"Matsui-cchi, I'm sure you're in the same boat-ssu."

"I'm plenty popular with people in our age group," Kikue replied with a tone of melancholy. "You just don't know. Shuto-san, can I please have the normal?"

"Sure," The older man turned to Kise, who pondered for a while before ordering.

* * *

"And now, we're going somewhere else, still got time?" Kikue asked as they walked out of the ramen shop. Kise nodded and Kikue took his hand, catching him off guard. "Just for now."

"Matsui-cchi-"

"Please." Kikue's voice weakened, as if she was afraid of Kise letting go. Kise almost smiled to himself, but instead laced his fingers through the girl's thin ones.

"Matsui-cchi's fingers are so thin," Kise commented. "But they're so pretty."

"Are they now?" Kikue muttered. "My finger tips are rough."

"Are they-ssu?" Kise questioned. Kikue giggled in response. "I play basketball all the time, I'm sure they aren't that bad."

"They've gotten better for sure," Kikue smiled. She was glad he didn't ask how her finger tips became so rough, not that they necessarily were. Though she suspect that her grandfather would've told Kise about why she started mahjong, or Kise would already know. Well, if he didn't ask, she was safe for the time being. "I've got a question Kise-kun."

"Hmm?"

"How did you gauge that I was worth your attention?" Kikue asked, and saw, out of the corner of her eye, and Kise blinked a few times, perhaps unsure of how to respond to the girl. "I mean, you're usually uninterested, only making polite conversation."

"Matsui-cchi, I'm sure I don't show that much disinterest-ssu." Kise smiled drily.

"We're the same type of person," Kikue replied simply. "Plus, you don't easily add -cchi to people's names, so I'm interested."

"I don't know to be honest-ssu," Kise replied after a short silence. "Matsui-cchi seemed to be the type of person to accomplish a lot even if she doesn't try."

"That's not a reason to respect someone."

"Ah no but Matsui-cchi is someone that draws people to you very easily-ssu."

"Kise, you make no sense," Kikue commented as the familiar shop sign came into her vision. ShiOto, the shop she had wanted to visit for a while, but could not find the courage in herself to go alone. She had not yet told Hatsuna about her family, so bringing Hatsuna would require more courage. So Kise seemed to be the only choice. Or she was just comfortable with showing Kise her weak self since she had done once already. "I need you to put on an act with me. Just respond naturally to whatever I say, is that ok?"

"Matsui-cchi, are you alright-ssu?"

"Why do you ask?"

"You're trembling again," Kise commented, tightening his grip on the trembling girl's hand. "Are you sure you don't want me to just send you home-ssu?"

"No, it's alright, I'm fine." Kikue said, as if to convince herself rather than Kise. "I am fine, completely normal."

"Ah Kikue-chan, I wasn't expecting a visit so soon," Shiori greeted, turning from her instructions to a girl, presumable younger than Kikue herself. "Feel free to take a seat for now, sorry about this."

"No problems, Shiori-san," Kikue said as she loosened her grip on Kise's hand a little, as if slightly relieved that there was someone else there. Turning to Kise, Kikue dropped her voice. "Take a seat somewhere, I'm going to get tea."

Kise nodded as Kikue let go of his hand, though he could still see the girl's discomfort. She made her way to the back of the shop, where she was well acquainted with the small kitchen area to quickly prepare tea for the four people in the shop. She returned a few minutes later with a tray carrying the teapot and cups, and set it gently onto the countertop to not disturb the young girl's lesson. Violin she noted. She poured out the cups and took one to Kise, who took it with worry in his eyes. Did she really seem that shaken?

"She's pretty good-ssu," Kise whispered to Kikue as she took a seat next to him with a cup of tea of her own. He saw Kikue ponder for a moment before shrugging. "Matsui-cchi?"

"Her sharps turn into naturals a lot of the time, and her pizzicato is clumsy, her bowing is a little stiff at times," Kikue commented in response. "But if you look past that she plays quite well."

"Kikue-chan, you can't compare others to yourself when it comes to music." Shiori commented as Natsuki finished playing. Natsuki's brown eyes seemed to train onto Kikue and sparkle with recognition. Shiori left quietly to take care of some instruments.

"Are you by any chance, Matsui Kikue-san?" The girl asked. Kise felt Kikue freeze up slightly before Kikue nodded in response. "Ah I knew it, I'm Nishina Natsuki, middle school second year, a big fan of yours!"

"Fan?" Kikue smiled, finding her hand in Kise's once again. It was somewhat a calming notion. "From which side?"

"I started the violin to catch up to you!" Natsuki replied with a big smile. "But I'm not saying that mahjong isn't good or anything, Matsui-san is an amazing person after all!"

"Is that so? I'm flattered. Natsuki-chan was it? When did you start violin?"

"Five years ago," Natsuki replied, as if shy all of a sudden from Kikue's familiar tone. "I saw your performance of Sonata #9."

"Ah that one?" Kikue laughed, but her hand tightened around Kise's hand nonetheless. "That was embarrassing, I messed up so many times."

"No one noticed at all, it was brilliant!"

"Natsuki-chan, my mother used to tell me, the essence of a performance is for the listener to enjoy," Kikue started in a soft tone. "But before that, I personally believe you have to be happy with your own performance, only that way, your feelings can reach."

"So Matsui-cchi, you're saying a performance can only be a performance if you liked it yourself-ssu?" Kise cut in, Kikue turned to look at him, and nodded, as if asking what his point it. Kise pouted slightly. "Please be respectful to your audience too Matsui-cchi."

"Kise Ryōta, are you preaching to me?" Kikue asked, expression morphing into slight shock, though Kise could tell from her tone she was more amused than anything else.

"I'm not preaching-ssu, just saying." Kise replied.

"The day I get preached to by someone with a math test score of 43, I'm sorry Grandpa, Kikue has failed." Kikue sighed jokingly.

"Matsui-san, is he your boyfriend?" Natsuki asked, cutting into Kikue's melodramatic teasing.

"Are you going to believe me if I said no?" Kikue asked with a sigh.

"I don't think so," Natsuki answered honestly. "My friends are big fans of Kise-san. They were really sad when Kise-san decided to take a break from modeling, I probably shouldn't tell them about this."

"What, why did you stop?" Kikue asked. "And you wanted to shout me food."

"Matsui-cchi, they aren't really related-ssu," Kise sighed, and saw the girl flash him the widest smile he had yet seen. "Please don't take so much amusement from teasing me-ssu."

"Matsui-san-"

"Kikue," Kikue interrupted Natsuki. Natsuki flushed bright red and shook her head almost violently. "I won't talk to you if you keep calling me Matsui-san."

"Then, Onee-sama."

"What am I the student council president of a rich girls' school?" Kikue questioned. "Kikue is fine seriously."

"Kikunee?"

"Ah whatever you're ok with, just not Matsui-san," Kikue replied. "Come to think of it, Shiori-san should have my violin from before."

"Kikunee are you going to play?" Natsuki's excitement skyrocketed. Kikue shrugged.

"Grandpa told me Shun-jiisan left it here for Shiori-san to service it," Kise noticed that Kikue dodged the question, but did not comment. "I will go ask Shiori-san."

"No need, I've got it here," Shiori walked out with a case. "I figured Kikue-chan was here to pick it up."

"Kikunee, can you please play?" Natsuki asked eagerly as Shiori passed the violin to the still sitting Kikue. Kikue leaned a little into Kise's arm, studying the case intently, as if fighting something within herself. Kise was about to speak up when Kikue spoke.

"I haven't played in three years," Kikue's voice was barely above a whisper, however, she let go of Kise's hand and stood up. She wasn't shaking, which was a good start, however, her face was a shade paler than usual. Then, she turned around to Kise and set the case onto his lap. As if opening something extremely delicate, Kikue opened the case and took out the violin. Then the bow. Then straightening herself up, she looked at Kise. "Request something, Ryōta."

"Matsui-cchi, I don't know classical music-ssu." Kise replied. He didn't comment on how she had called him by his first name, perhaps it was her habit. Since the first time he had sent her home she had started calling him Kise-kun instead of Kise-san.

"Well then, I will just make do with something Ryōta would know then," Kikue sighed, and readied herself. "I don't have an electric violin so you're going to have excuse that."

The girl's fingers danced across the strings of the violin as Kise immediately recognised the song - Senbonzakura. And then Kise understood the difference between Natsuki's playing and Kikue's. Kikue's notes connected and flowed in a way that Kise did not know music could. There was not a note that sounded out of place, but there was still a Matsui Kikue feeling to it. Perhaps it was then, Kise found himself mesmerised by Kikue. She was finally in her element. Mahjong was definitely not her element, not as much as she puts herself to be.

He had guessed she knew more than one instrument, of course a genius such as Matsui Kikue could not possibly only have one specialty. But he had guessed correctly that her main instrument was piano, so he hadn't expected such mastery on other instruments. Of course, he learnt to never underestimate Matsui Kikue ever again. This Kikue was dazzling.

"So, I didn't like that performance at all." Kikue sighed as she finished the song and set the violin back into its case. Gently, she closed the case and sat back down next to Kise, as if she never played the song.

"Why? I thought it was brilliant Kikunee!"

"My wrist was too stiff, my fingertips hurt," Kikue started, and reached over and took Kise's tea. "It didn't flow as well as I wanted, and I never even looked at the music score for that."

"Kikunee, you mean you played by memory?"

"Of the song." Kikue replied and leaned on Kise's arm, since, as she hated to admit, she was quite short compared to Kise.

"Matsui-cchi, you make other people seem so insignificant-ssu." Kise said, nonetheless allowing Kikue to lean on him.

"Kise-san, that's the essence!"

* * *

 _So I realised this is the story with most words in all my stories. It has really long chapters...should I shorten them...maybe not. IDK._

 _Murasaki xx_


	8. Chapter 7

_A slightly lighter chapter after last chapter._

 _Thank you to **megane-chan** , whose review inspired me to write a special chapter for Hacchan~ That's coming up later when I figure out where in the story it's meant to fit into. Also, yes, Sakura no Shiori is an AKB48 song. I'm a fan, of the group, not really the song. But was it was there, so...pluck it in?  
_

 _It's really awkward when I'm writing the story while I'm watching a drama. The time period is all wrong, and my brain gets muddled. I should stop multi-tasking._

* * *

Kikue and Kise left ShiOto after Natsuki, who was picked up by her equally excited parents. As soon as the door closed, Kikue's knees gave out and she would've fallen if not for Kise's abnormally well-developed reflexes.

"At least," Kikue started as she clung to Kise for support. "You saved the violin, Ryōta."

"That's the last thing to worry about Matsui-cchi, are you alright-ssu?"

"I am fine," Kikue replied with a sigh, yet did not let go of Kise. "At least last time I could walk."

"Matsui-cchi, do you want to stop by my house first? It's closer than yours from here."

"I can't refuse right now, I really can't, sorry Ryōta."

"It's ok Matsui-cchi," Kise said as he took Kikue's hand and laced his fingers through hers. "You can lean on me if you want-ssu."

"This makes the second time," Kikue muttered quietly, though loud enough Kise could hear her. "The second time you became my knight in shining armour."

"At your service, m'lady." Kikue laughed at the response Kise gave her.

"Ignoring your response that sounded suspiciously more like a butler," Kikue giggled. "It's the first time I will be over at your house."

"My sisters are really messy, so please excuse them beforehand-ssu," Kise said. "But they should both be out today-ssu, so we should be fine."

"Honestly why does no one believe me when I tell them we're not going out?" Kikue questioned. "And you've won Grandpa over now he won't stop talking about you."

"I just try to make polite conversation with everyone-ssu."

"Even though you're not actually interested." Kikue retorted quietly, though with a joking tone. Kise led the way as they walked through the crowds. Kikue was pretty sure they were attracting lots of attention, since both of them are the media's regulars, however, Kikue found that if she just focused her crumbling thought process to just Kise's warmth, she was not affected by the stares. She was no longer sinking into voices from the past, or at least not consciously.

"Matsui-cchi, if you don't mind me asking," Kise started as he led her into the high rise building his family's apartment was located in. Pressing the button to the fifteenth floor in the elevator, he saw Kikue gesture him to go on. "Matsui-cchi's not a violinist, are you?"

"Well, no, I'm not," Kikue replied softly. "Mama was the violinist."

"Then Matsui-cchi, what do you play-ssu?" Kise asked despite knowing the answer. Kikue looked at him for a moment and rolled her eyes at him.

"Even though you know," Kikue commented. "Either you figured it out, or you guessed and Grandpa checked it for you, right Ryōta?"

"Matsui-cchi-"

"Piano, I'm a pianist," Kikue said. "Well, I was, since I can't play anymore."

"Can't play?"

"Probably all just in my head, but I would rather not play." Kikue replied, her tone signaling the end of that conversation.

"Is there something Matsui-cchi is bad at-ssu?"

"Art, I can't draw." Kikue replied after a short silence.

"That's it-ssu?"

"As if, I just feel like I'm going to be at a disadvantage if I tell you," Kikue deadpanned. "Grandpa encourages people to tease me."

"Well, that's true-ssu," Kise replied as he opened the door to his house, still somehow holding onto Kikue's hand. "How about coming karaoke with me next time?"

"Why?"

"Because it's fun-ssu."

"I would rather go watch your basketball games," Kikue replied as she followed Kise into the apartment after changing into a pair of slippers. The apartment wasn't messy, but it was filled with things that Kikue could tell belonged to members of the Kise family. Laying in a pile on the glass table in the living room was fashion magazines, and a few Zunon Boy magazines laying around. Kikue found herself seated on the comfortable sofa, finding lipstick and make up around her. "Your sisters must be really pretty, Ryōta."

"They just like being fashionable-ssu," Kise replied, walking out of the living room and swinging his bag into a room that Kikue couldn't see. She also found herself missing the boy's warmth, the feeling of his hand holding her own. She quickly shook the thoughts out of her brain. She had to get a grip, but her eyes followed Kise. He had walked past the dining room and into the kitchen, where he grabbed a jug out of the fridge. "Matsui-cchi, we've got mugi-cha here, is that fine?"

"I don't mind, you could just give me water to spare the bother." Kikue replied.

"But Matsui-cchi always gives me nice food when I go over-ssu."

"That's…" Kikue trailed off as she failed to find a proper excuse for her actions. Originally it was just as thanks for him always walking her home, but Kikue found herself needlessly making snacks and whatnot even when she was just home alone. She would then use some pretense and bring them to school to share with the girls in her class, then only adding Kise as a side note when he asked (he always does). Kikue knew Kise was not just a side note. She wanted him to praise her, and she loved seeing him enjoy the food she made. But she was not going to admit that.

Kise walked over with two cups filled with mugi-cha, and Kikue reached out slowly and wrapped her hands around the chilled glass. The coldness was calming, it would be nice if she always felt that chill. That way she might not tremble again. Kikue wanted to chuckle at the irony.

"Matsui-cchi, I'm sure Natsuki-chan would've understood if you didn't play-ssu."

"The violin should be fine," Kikue replied softly. "The violin should've been fine."

"Matsui-cchi,"

"I say that but I haven't played for three years," Kikue sighed with a smile. "It's all thanks to you, Kise-kun."

"You've finally calmed down-ssu Matsui-cchi."

"What?"

"Matsui-cchi has this habit of being really familiar when you're unsettled-ssu. Like how you switched from -san to -kun," Kise commented, and Kikue looked at him blankly, then blushed as she realised she had been calling him by his first name. "Woah Matsui-cchi!"

"Shut up don't talk about it I'm sorry." Kikue apologised quickly as she curled up into a ball on the couch. She had never called a boy by their first name without suffixes. She hadn't expected herself to either. "I'm really sorry please forget about it."

"No, no, I don't mind it-ssu." Kise said quickly, then realised that Kikue was muttering numbers.

"Six, six times," Kikue said quietly, still hiding her face. "I owe you six favours."

"Why?"

"I called you by your name six times, I owe you six favours." Kikue replied. And before Kise could reply and refuse, since he found her habit rather cute, the door of the apartment opened and Kise heard his oldest sister.

"I'm home, ah that guy was so useless, Ryōta, get me some water." Kikue looked up, her face now less red, and saw Kise face palm.

"Erika-nee-san, there is a guest over-ssu." Kise replied as a woman with curled dark brown hair walked in none too gracefully. The woman looked at Kise, then at Kikue and her proportionate features morphed into surprise.

"Ryōta, what kind of sorcery did you use to lure this cutie to our house?" She asked.

"Matsui-cchi just didn't feel well, Erika-nee-san please stop being so embarrassing-ssu." Kise sighed as his cheeks became slightly coloured. Hiding a giggle, Kikue quickly straightened herself and stood up.

"Sorry to intrude, I'm Matsui Kikue," Kikue introduced herself with a genuine smile and bowed. "I'm in the same class as Kise-kun."

"Cute, polite and famous, exactly what are you doing with my idiot of a brother?" Erika asked as she threw her bag at Kise, who caught it and set it out the couch. Erika walked to Kikue and gestured her to sit back down before sitting next to her. "You don't have to be so formal though."

"Kise-kun is quite helpful, and a gentleman?" Kikue replied as she sat down, noticing that Kise had wordlessly moved to the kitchen to get water for his sister. She finally understood why Kise was so stubborn about being a gentleman. He gets bullied into it. "And he's good at basketball?"

"Why are they all questions Matsui-cchi?" Kise asked as he set the cup of water in front of Erika, who was obviously extremely amused by Kikue's answers.

"Ryōta, don't blame others when you have no redeeming points." Erika said with a smirk. Then she turned to Kikue. "Ignore Ryōta for now, hang out with me for a bit."

"Erika-nee-san~"

"Ryōta you shut up, for now Matsui-chan, let's try on some clothes."

* * *

"You didn't have to go out of your way to send me home, it's only half past five." Kikue said as Kise walked alongside her, on the way to her house. He had for some reason took her violin from her and was carrying it instead.

"Ah but my sister…" Kise started, then trailed off as Kikue giggled.

"Erika-nee-chan is a cheerful person," Kikue commented instead of Kise. "Do you always get bullied at home?"

"Both my sisters are really pushy-ssu."

"I'm envious," Kikue said. "It's so lively."

"Well, I'm sure Erika-nee-san would love to see you often-ssu, Matsui-cchi." Kise grinned.

"Then, Kise-kun, come with me to visit Grandpa sometime, I swear he misses you more than he misses me."

"Sure-ssu."

"Promise then."

"Promise."

* * *

"Matsui-cchi, come watch the game-ssu."

"I'm doing something," Kikue said to Kise as she stood outside of the choir club's clubroom. The basketball club had the Saturday off, and with Hatsuna off in tournament gaming world, Kikue had nothing to do. So she had turned up at choir club's practice. "I can also bet that Kasamatsu-senpai is with you. He's not good at dealing with girls, so spare him the bother."

"If you come in the afternoon-ssu, you get to see Midorima-cchi go against Kuroko-cchi."

"To begin with," Kikue started. "I will only turn up to game you play," Kikue paused as music started in the clubroom, and to respect that, she walked a little further away before continuing. "And I'm pretty sure I told you that the glasses guy creeps me out."

"Midorima-cchi's shooting range is the whole court-ssu."

"I don't care," Kikue replied, paying more attention to the choir club's practice than Kise's words. Then she realised what Kise had just said. "That basketball is going to have to travel at the speed and impact of a bullet if that's real."

"That's why you should come to watch-ssu Matsui-cchi."

"I refuse," Kikue replied. "I prefer to stay away from supernatural basketball."

"Supernatural basketball?"

"First you have me record this morning's morning show for you, now you want me to watch supernatural basketball," Kikue sighed. "I'm hanging up, I will turn up to games where you play."

And Kikue hung up before Kise could answer. Somewhere in the back of her mind as she walked back to the clubroom, where the music now stopped, Kikue wondered if she should make Kise something for his games. Cookies or something.

"No, here, the baritones should drop the pitch and the sound should be smoother." Kikue heard Mai instruct. And before Mai could continue, Kikue cut in.

"Hazuki-senpai, the piano is off, that's why they are getting it wrong," Kikue said. "You should get someone to tune the piano."

"It's off?"

"The B leans a little over to a B flat, which means everything above that is wrong," Kikue replied as she sat down in the seat Mai had pulled for her when she got there in the morning. "Normally the club advisor would fix those kinds of small things."

"Matsui-chan, this is Kaijou, where sports are valued more than these kinds of things." Mai replied with a smile. Then turned to the rest of the club. "Five minutes' break while I see how I can fix this," Mai turned back to Kikue. "Matsui-chan is good with music?"

"Somewhat," Kikue replied half-heartedly as she watched Mai shuffle around the club room in search of something. "I guess," She added, then joined Mai in search of the piano tuner. "Does the advisor ever turn up?"

"Nope," Mai replied simply. "We barely qualify for the prefectural's, and we're always just working together with the ensemble club since none of us actually knows how to play the piano."

"Wait, the choir club, doesn't know how to play the piano?" Kikue questioned as she opened a box and found the piano tuner. "Then why are you looking for the tuner, Hazuki-senpai?"

"I thought Matsui-chan knows how to do it."

"Hazuki-senpai, just because I can tell notes from one another," Kikue started with a sigh. Was every person she involves herself with air-headed? "Does not necessarily mean I know how to tune a piano."

"Eh? Isn't it similar to a guitar, just turning strings?"

"Hazuki-senpai, can I go home?" Kikue muttered as she studied the lever in her hand. Well, it wasn't as if she didn't know how to do it. The question was, would she be able to find someone to do it for her instead. Probably not. But she was going to ask anyways. "Can't you ask the ensemble club?"

"They're in a state of absent advisor, and I don't think any of them would know either." Mai said to the younger girl apologetically, and received a sigh in response.

"Does the universe lack common sense?" Kikue sighed as she walked towards the piano with the lever in hand. "How old even is this thing?"

"I'm not sure," Mai said as she watched the younger girl set to work. "One of our OBs said it's been here since he entered, he graduated about ten years ago."

"How often does this get maintenance?"

"I have no idea?"

"Please give up and disband this club Hazuki-senpai," Kikue said as she played a key. Well, at least now the piano is in tune. She turned to the older girl who looked at her with a perplexed expression. "That was a joke, the piano is ok now."

"Isn't this Matsui Kikue-san?" A voice echoed behind Kikue. She turned around to see a boy she did not recognise.

"Ah, Kou-kun, is the ensemble club on break?" Mai asked. And then turned to Kikue to introduce the boy. "This is Fujimoto Kou, the ensemble club's vice-president."

"Nice to meet you," Kikue bowed. "I'm Matsui Kikue."

"I know, that genius girl," The older male said. Kikue felt herself freeze up. "Kinoshita Kaede's daughter, with the perfect pitch?"

"Eh, isn't Matsui-chan…?"

"Well, three years ago she didn't play mahjong Mai."

Kikue felt it.

The countless pairs of eyes on her.

The suffocating silence.

The equally suffocating attention and expectation.

Even though she quit.

Even though she announced to the world she would not play another piano piece.

Even though she played mahjong now.

"Matsui-chan?" Mai waved her hand in front of Kikue, who had frozen up completely. The girl seemed so pale Mai was sure Kou had stepped on Kikue's landmine. Since she had told Mai before she would rather stay away from music related clubs. Then all of a sudden, Kikue moved and grabbed her bag.

"Sorry I just remembered I've got somewhere to be," Kikue said as she quickly walked to the door. "See you around Fujimoto-senpai, Hazuki-senpai."

"Did I, say something wrong?" Kou asked Mai as Kikue dashed out of the school building.

"Probably?" Mai frowned.

* * *

"Ah Kise, you seem pretty friendly with Matsui," The teacher finished the lecture about grades and kept Kise back, letting the other girl go. He took a few print-outs and handed them to Kise. "Can you go drop them off at Matsui's, she contacted saying she's got things to prepare before the world tournament, but she should be home in the afternoons."

"Ah, sure, I will do that-ssu." Kise replied and took the print-outs.

"While you're at it, ask her to tutor you."

"Eh?"

"What, didn't you know, Matsui was the fifth ranked in Kantou back in middle school," The teacher told Kise, who blinked back his surprise. "The scholarship offers she received probably couldn't even fit in the mail box."

"And exactly, why did Matsui-cchi come to this school-ssu." Kise sighed.

"You go ask her that Kise, just make sure you don't fail mid-terms."

* * *

"So, why are you at my house?" Kikue asked as she opened the door to see Kise. She resisted the urge to close the door on him upon realising that she had no makeup on whatsoever, and that she was in her comfort clothes, with no bra on. Kise held up a few print-out and Kikue sighed. "Where's Hacchan?"

"She's currently substituting Matsui-cchi as the basketball club's somewhat manager-ssu," Kise said. "She wanted to come along, but I didn't think Matsui-cchi would want that."

"Why would you think that?" Kikue asked as she let Kise into the house. Kise smiled at her, perhaps not too good naturedly.

"Matsui-cchi lied to the teachers about your absence-ssu."

"Why are you so smart all of a sudden?" Kikue complained as she went to the kitchen to get Kise water. She entered the living room a little while later and set a cup of water in front of Kise, looking at him as if she was just defeated.

"Matsui-cchi, you told me before-ssu, the pro mahjong association takes care of your travelling essentials." Kise told the girl, who groaned and closed her eyes.

"I tell you too many things," Kikue muttered and opened her eyes. "I don't want to see some people at school."

"Why?"

"They know the me before mahjong." Kikue replied after a short silence.

"The Matsui-cchi that's a musical genius?" Kise asked, and received an immediate response from the girl who knocked her own cup of water over.

"Don't call me that," Kikue said weakly as she tried to stand up in an attempt to fix her own mess. "I'm Matsui Kikue, and just that."

"Matsui-cchi, sit back down, I will go get the cloth-ssu," Kise hurried to stand up and put a hand on Kikue's shoulder, pressing her back to sit down. "But the Matsui Kikue I know is a genius, it's who Matsui-cchi is."

"Kise-kun, I don't like myself, I don't want to be Matsui Kikue." Kikue said when Kise came back with the cloth. "There's nothing good about Matsui Kikue."

"On the other hand, I quite like Matsui Kikue," Kise smiled, Kikue could feel herself blush slightly. She really hoped Kise wouldn't see. "And as a side note, sensei told me to ask Matsui-cchi to tutor me-ssu."

"Why?"

"I can't fail mid-terms," Kise replied as he sat back down, having tossed the cloth somewhere to the corner of the room. Kikue didn't comment. "Otherwise Takeuchi coach is going to be real mad."

"That's true," Kikue said and looked at the blond sitting in front of her. She extended a hand. "Let me see your notebooks."

"Eh, why-ssu?" Kise looked noticeably scared, though he still handed Kikue his notebooks. Kikue took them and flicked through the various subjects. Probably the only subject he is passing is English.

"Why are you scoring better in English than Japanese? You're Japanese last time I checked." Kikue questioned, setting down Kise's notebooks as she stood up. Kise grimaced, and Kikue sighed. "Wait up a bit, let me go get some things." Kikue returned a few moments later with her pencil case and a few notebooks. She had put a bra on, realising it was probably bad if she wore no bra while alone with the opposite gender. She put three notebooks in front of Kise. "These are my summary notes for everything that will be covered in mid-terms, two subjects each book. I'm giving them to you."

"Wait but Matsui-cchi-"

"I don't need them anymore." Kikue cut Kise off, and took out a pencil from her pencil case. Flicking open an empty notebook, she spoke up as she began writing some things. "Read through them first, anything you don't understand, ask me." Kikue then pointed at the empty notebook and Kise's notebooks. "Anything in your books that needs improvement, I will be making a few questions, so you can work on it."

"Matsui-cchi~" Kise rejoiced as he looked up at Kikue, who looked at him with a resigned smile. At least she was helping him.

"I told you I owe you favours," Kikue said. Kise pouted. "If it makes you feel any better, I suspected you needed my tutoring."

"That's not making anything better-ssu, Matsui-cchi." Kise whined, however dedicating himself to Kikue's notebooks. Her writing was as delicate as the person.

"Also, you will need to try hard by yourself for a week, I'm leaving a week before the mid-terms." Kikue said, remembering her own schedule. "Though I doubt the teachers would leave you on your own. I will try asking Hacchan to take over during my absence."

"Then what about your own mid-terms Matsui-cchi?"

"I'm doing them before I leave." Kikue replied nonchalantly. "The school gave me special permission."

"Matsui-cchi, that's some main character level special skill-ssu."

"What are you even on about, study Kise-kun."

* * *

"Come here Ria, look at this, Ryōta is studying." Erika whispered to her younger sister. Ria walked over to where Erika was standing and almost frowned. Their little brother never studied. Was the sun going to come up from the west? "He got some really nice notes by the looks of it."

"I've never seen him study," Ria started as she screwed her water bottle lid back on. "That is incredibly creepy."

"He's occasionally asking for help too, from Kikue-chan." Erika smirked.

"Kikue-chan?"

"He brought her over once, she's so cute," Erika smiled, and Ria got the message. "She's pretty famous too, I'm sure we've seen her sometime on TV."

"And what kind of sorcery did Ryōta use?"

"They're not going out Ria."

"So it's Ryōta's one-sided crush?"

"I'm presuming so."

"Even though I got him to do modeling," Ria shook her head and sighed. "Why is our younger brother so useless."

"Nee-chan, you two seem to forget I can hear you-ssu!"

* * *

 _I was really proud of the last part. I think it's pretty funny. I don't know if anyone else thinks the same way._

 _Murasaki xx_


	9. Chapter 8

_I really thought I hated drama. But here it is, more drama._

 _I think I really just overcompensated for making Kikue seem much too perfect. I don't know, she's really not perfect though. She's really, really broken. It somehow turned out that way. Ugh, angsty things._

 _The story board in my brain is guaranteeing me this story will have so much drama._

 _My next story needs to not be so dramatic. For the sake of my sanity..._

 _To dear GuestEtha, first, thank you for always tuning in you lovely human being (or whatever race you identify yourself as, personally I identify as the left over section of an alien brain). And second *begins sweating profusely* let us move on from that since the author (a.k.a me) has no idea either...and listen, ITS ABOUT TO GET A LOT WORSE. On the other hand, I could just have said she owes him countless favours but honestly, I can't because you haven't read this chapter yet. *Draws circles in the corner* I'm sorry I'm like this tbh._

* * *

Hatsuna stared at the score board.

She was second place.

Next to her name was her best friend Kikue's, and underneath Kikue's name was the only perfect score in the year. Not to mention that Kikue had done the mid-terms a week before everyone else.

"Nakazuki, congratulations on second place." Hatsuna turned to the brunette whom she had tutored for the past two weeks. Sato Shouko was a sports scholarship student who Hatsuna was asked to tutor. Well, Shouko along with Kise, whom Kikue had left in Hatsuna's care. "Thank you for tutoring me, I managed to pull up to the 90s in rankings."

"That's great Sato-san," Hatsuna smiled genuinely at the taller girl. "I'm really glad the tutoring helped."

"I also have to apologise for my attitude at the beginning." Shouko said. Hatsuna shook her head.

"It's fine, I don't mind." Hatsuna replied. "On the other hand, I feel bad for Sato-san."

"Matsui is just going to be Matsui, but she wasn't wrong." Shouko said. "It wasn't the right attitude to ask someone for help."

"Kikue-chan said too much herself," Hatsuna smiled apologetically. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a flash of blond heading towards them. She turned just in time to spot Kise. "Ah, Kise-kun, how was your score?"

"I somehow ended up in the rankings-ssu," Kise replied uncertainly, as if he had just witnesses something he still couldn't quite believe. Hatsuna almost laughed at his childish expression. "50 exactly, it doesn't seem real."

"Well, your tutor is top of the year with a perfect score, and she did the test a week before everyone else." Shouko deadpanned. "She's a bloody monster."

"Kikue-chan just, tried." Hatsuna said. "She said she would, and since she tried, she pulled the rabbit out of the hat. Just like Kise-kun."

"Please don't compare me to Matsui-cchi, I will feel depressed-ssu." Kise joked.

"Which reminds me Kise," Kise turned his attention to Shouko. "Everyone has been wondering, but are you going out with Matsui?"

"We're just good friends." Kise replied after a short, though slightly unnatural, pause.

"Kise-kun and Kikue-chan would suit as a couple," Hatsuna muttered. If Kikue heard her, Kikue might frown, but Hatsuna honestly thought so.

"See, everyone thinks so." Shouko said. "I even heard some of your fans saying they wouldn't sabotage if you two were going out."

"We do hang out a lot-ssu," Kise said. "But I'm sure Matsui-cchi doesn't feel that way."

"The way you put that, Kise-kun," Hatsuna nitpicked. "Makes it sound as if you like Kikue-chan."

"Mou~ Matsui-cchi's friends are the same-ssu!" Kise whined while he feigned tears. "I'm going to report my scores to Matsui-cchi."

* * *

"Kikue-chan, where exactly are you?"

"Sports Today's office," Kikue replied over the phone. She had been caught up with so many interviews after her return for the Worlds that she had not had time to hang out with her friends. Miyuki was the only person she had seen since her return and the only reason for that was because she was temporarily living at Miyuki's. Well, Kikue say that, but she had been diligently turning up to every one of Kise's basketball games. Even if it meant she was skipping an interview here, or a photo shoot there. She was sick of the media, truly, especially since she had not been able to visit her grandfather as often as she wanted to. "Just give me about ten minutes, I will somehow get to 109."

"Kikue-chan, don't rush, I know you're busy." Hatsuna said to her friend quickly.

"I think, Miyuki-nee is heading there, so she should be able to meet up with you first." Kikue said as she walked out of the building and looked around. She was familiar with Tokyo by now. A month of interviews and media attention proceeding her win in Worlds guaranteed her plenty of time to familiarise herself with Tokyo after all. "Hacchan, please just, don't get lost."

"You take care of yourself first Kikue-chan!"

Left alone with her thoughts as her friend hung up, Kikue turned her phone screen back on and realised something she probably had never cared for before. It was going to be Kise's birthday soon, and she had no idea what to get him.

"Well, let's ask Miyuki-nee after this." Kikue muttered to herself as she dialed her grandfather's number. Perhaps she should've prioritised better. But she had chosen to place her own selfishness above everything else. But now that she had achieved her goal, Kikue was at a complete loss as for her future plans.

 _"Kikue-chan, you're so capable, but what do_ you _want to do?"_

The unpleasant conversation she had with her father's friend while she was in America played in her head. She almost stopped dead in her tracks. She knew her flaw - she had no idea what she wanted to do with her life. Music was still out of the question. She only played mahjong for her father.

Kikue forced herself to stop her train of thought. It would do her no good to think too hard about it on her own. She still had time.

Or at least she hoped so.

* * *

It was during one math lesson when Kikue got called out by another teacher. Apparently, there was an emergency call. Kise watched as Kikue stood up in a hurry, abandoning her usual grace. It was most likely about her grandfather, and Kise resisted the temptation to followed Kikue out of the class. He had been on good terms with Matsui Mikage since their meeting, and he had even sneaked a few visits without the knowledge of Kikue. Kikue returned a few moments later, her head hanging low. With a light voice, Kikue said a few things to the teacher, who nodded grimly and continued to teach, while Kikue walked to her desk and packed up her things.

Kise saw Hatsuna look at Kikue with concern written all over her features, though Kise was too far away to catch Kikue's expression himself. And when Kikue looked up briefly after she was done packing her belongings, Kise could see tears threatening to spill in her eyes. He mentally cursed his inability to just get up in class and ask Kikue about the call. Kise kept a note to himself to check on her after class.

On Kikue's way out of the class, Kise could see that she was shaking.

* * *

By the time Kise's birthday rolled around a few days later, Kise, Hatsuna and Shouko were considering filing a missing person report. She had not answered calls or messages, and even when Kise made a visit to her house after practice one day, she was not at home. Of course, she didn't turn up to school either. Kise knew that Kikue was the type to isolate herself whenever there was something wrong, but he didn't know how to get her to open up if she was just completely MIA.

He had gone to school that morning with a message from Hatsuna saying that Kikue's friend from Tokyo could not reach her either, which had not improved his mood. He met a few fans, who gave him some cookies and whatnot for his birthday. He thanked them and made a quick excuse for practice, and left. Of course, the last thing he expected was to find a pair of brand new basketball shoes in his locker. His size. There was a note underneath them.

 _I would give this to you in person, but, it's a bit hard for me to right now._

 _Happy birthday Ryōta._

Kise knew that writing. He had committed at least three notebooks filled with the same delicate writing to memory. Kikue had not signed the note, but it could only be her. His attention turned to how Kikue had written his first name, and he knew what that meant. Kikue only called him that when she was shaken. He decided that it was a good time to give Kikue another call.

"Matsui-cchi?" The phone was picked up, which was a nice change. But no sound came through on the other end. Kise waited. Then Kikue's voice came through, rather reluctantly.

"Is it not your size? Or don't you like the colour?" Kikue's voice was quiet and sounded as if she was trying to cover up how she had been crying. "I thought your fans would give you plenty of food so I opted for something else instead."

"Matsui-cchi, it's my size, and I love the colour-ssu," Kise replied softly. "You don't have to try so hard to sound ok."

"I don't have a choice but to be ok," Kikue replied. "I can't pick up until about nine, and right, happy birthday Ryōta."

Before Kise could say anything else, Kikue hung up. Kise stared at his phone blankly for a while, but decided he will just have to spring a visit tomorrow, and hope she is home.

* * *

Kise was heading to Kikue's, with visiting gifts from Shouko and Hatsuna.

Hatsuna's family apparently had guests over and Hatsuna couldn't leave. And Shouko had kendo club's practice today. So the two girls had shoved Kise a bunch of stuff the day before and told him to tell Kikue off for them. He wasn't sure if he was going to tell Kikue off for anything.

"Matsui-cchi, are you home-ssu?" He knocked. After a short silence, he heard the sound of someone coming down the stairs. The door opened after a short while. "I was wondering where I left that jacket." Kikue had on his jacket, and by the looks of it, nothing else. Though, his jacket was big enough to cover up to Kikue's mid-thigh. Somewhere at the back of Kise's train of thought where he wasn't worrying about how fragile the girl looked, he thought that Kikue looked cute in his jacket.

"I haven't had time to do laundry." Kikue replied simply and turned around, leaving the door for Kise to close, which he did. "I found it."

"Matsui-cchi, you look like you're ready to faint-ssu." Kise commented as he followed the girl upstairs into her room. Kikue did not protest, so Kise presumed it was ok for him to be there. Kikue sat, or rather, collapsed, onto the floor next to her bed and leaned against her bed. Kise left the visiting gifts on the small table in the middle of the room, and joined Kikue next to her. "What happened with Mikage-jiisan?"

"Grandpa is in the ICU at the moment." Kikue replied after a short pause. However, she sounded incredibly detached, as if she was talking about someone else's problem. Kise looked at the girl, who had her eyes closed and decided he would speak up. Even if it meant saying something Kikue didn't want to hear.

"And why does Matsui-cchi not want to talk to anyone about that-ssu?" Kise asked. He saw Kikue visibly tense up.

"What, there's nothing anyone can do," Kikue snapped. "I can't do anything either, if nature decides to run its course, what can we do?"

"And destroying yourself by isolating yourself is going to help who?" Kise asked. Kikue opened her eyes and looked at Kise, as if he had grown a second head. She blinked rapidly, as if that would help her process what Kise said to her.

"What do you want me to do?" Kikue asked him.

"Talk to us about it, we're your friends, Matsui-cchi."

"So? At the end of the day I'm alone, because everyone leaves." Kikue said. And before she could realise what was happening, she felt the stinging pain on her cheeks, and she was being forced to make eye contact with Kise's golden eyes. His hands held Kikue's head in place, and Kikue could tell Kise was annoyed.

"We want to help, and people don't always leave."

"They do," Kikue said. "They are never there when I need them."

"Then why am I here-ssu? Why did Nakazuki-san and Sato-san give me those gifts?"

"Papa and Mama left," Kikue said, tears pooling in her eyes. Kise almost felt guilty about the situation. Almost. "My uncle is never here."

"That's why you have friends Matsui-cchi." Kise said, letting go of Kikue as tears rolled down her cheeks. He hugged her close as she cried. "There's people around you who are willing to support you-ssu."

Kise realised for the first time how small the girl actually was despite her overwhelming presence. She was thin enough for Kise to wonder if she would break if he hugged her too tightly. Definitely too fragile.

* * *

Kise debated wither he would need to apologise to Kikue after she wakes up. He had managed to coax her to sleep after she cried her eyes out, and then he had done the laundry. Because she said she hadn't had time to do them. And because laundry was probably the only household chore he could manage without messing anything up. He was used to female underwear - he _did_ have two older sisters. But Kikue wasn't his sister.

He decided he will apologise.

It was near lunch time, and he was conflicted about leaving Kikue by herself. Albeit having said some things Kikue didn't particularly want to hear. He flopped down onto the living room floor, grabbing the book he had found on the shelf. From his phone, he managed to order some take out. They probably weren't as good as Kikue's cooking, but they worked. And Kikue needed to eat.

A few pages of the book later Kise heard a muffled scream from the second floor. He thanked his past self for deciding to stay and rushed upstairs. Opening the door to Kikue's bedroom, he saw the small figure of Kikue curled up, shaking. When he walked closer, he realised she was crying yet again.

"Matsui-cchi?" She didn't respond, so Kise tried again. "Matsui-cchi?" Still, no response. Kise decided to try something else. "Kikue?"

"Papa?" Kikue looked up at Kise, and without a second word, tackled him to the ground. "Papa, you came back for Kikue." Kise was unsure of how to respond, but he sat up with Kikue still clinging onto him as if she found the saving straw while drowning. Kise rubbed small circles on the small of the girl's back in an attempt to help her calm down. "Don't leave Kikue by herself again, please."

* * *

"Thank you Ryōta," Kikue said once she had completely calmed down, and had realised she was in fact, in the embrace of Kise and not her father. Kise had pulled Kikue into his lap, and wrapped his arms around the girl's waist. "You're so warm."

"It's still summer-ssu." Kise commented.

"Let's gather a bunch of people and go to the beach next time." Kikue suggested, her hands wrapped around the cup of hot chocolate Kise had made her a few moments ago.

"Sure-ssu, you can invite your middle school friends too."

"I didn't save any of their contacts." Kikue giggled. "They only wanted to hang out with me because I was famous."

"You're still famous Matsui-cchi."

"I really don't want to be." Kikue sighed. "Once you're famous, people gets close to you for the sake of knowing someone famous."

"Ah, I get that-ssu." Kise said. "I had a 'girlfriend' in middle school who was only with me because I'm a model."

"Even though Ryōta is actually really nice." Kikue muttered, though just loud enough for Kise to catch it.

"Kikue-chan, did you perhaps, just compliment me?" Kise asked, purposely placing his chin on Kikue's shoulder. Kikue's face blush scarlet.

"Who gave you permission to call me that," She protested weakly.

"But Kikue-chan, you're calling me Ryōta."

"Correct me!" Kikue pouted. But she didn't comment further about Kise's usage of her first name.

"But it sounds nice when Kikue-chan says it-ssu."

"Ryōta, you're being impossible!" Kikue said just as she heard a knocking of the door.

"I ordered food, be back in a bit-ssu." Kise let go of Kikue and stood up, smiling at her mischievously.

He never ended up apologising.

* * *

 _For those people who doesn't know, 109 is a major department store in Tokyo._

 _Let me now go through the chapters and count how many times Kikue called Kise by his first name..._

 _Murasaki xx_


	10. Chapter 9

_I'm bad at describing basketball, or actions, or anything in general. I had a thought while I was sleeping the other day that I forgot to write about Kise's loss against Aomine. I got up and checked, turns out that I had written it, just...how does my mind operate like this. PG, I need majority of this PG before I sin._

 _Before I sin is a dumb thing to proclaim._

 _I've sinned so much quizzes told me I'm heading straight to the bottom of hell._

 _To dear **GuestEtha** , um, yes, after probably an entire week and more, happy fourth of July. Except I'm Asian-Australian and have only a very vague idea of what the American's celebrate and how they do so. Apparently, a lot of fireworks. I'm very sorry for my lack of understanding of the other side of the world, I will now Google. But nevertheless, happy fourth of July. On the other hand, I do hope you're having a wonderful holiday, and truly you're making me jealous because down under it's winter and the wind wants to blow me away. I only update things once a week so don't worry, you won't miss much. Have a good holiday! Also, friends are nice (saying that makes me sound like I have no friends oops). Glad you liked the chapter, hope you like this chapter too, and have a good week. Until next week, lovely~_

* * *

"Kikue-chan, you came to watch!" Kise beamed at Kikue. The girl didn't say anything, but nodded as her attention was drawn to the shoes Kise was wearing. Kise, noticing the girl's gaze, smiled sheepishly. "They are really comfortable-ssu."

"That was the point Ryōta," Kikue deadpanned, and then smiled at the blond. She beckoned him closer and put her lips to his ear. "Grandpa is out of the ICU."

"That's great!" Kise almost jumped at the news. Truth was, he had visited a few more times while Matsui Mikage was in ICU along with Kikue, and the sight was slightly haunting. He was genuinely glad for the elder.

"It would improve my day if you won," Kikue started, and Kise beamed even more than he already was. But of course, Kikue was not going to let him be so elated for long, she smirked as she continued. "Because it would be a pain to have to cheer you up later."

"Kikue-chan~" Kise complained. Kikue laughed and tried her best to pat his shoulder.

"I'm joking, you can count on me to cheer you up if you lose." Kikue told the blond. "Though, I doubt I'm a good person to cheer you up if you lose."

"Why-ssu?"

"I'm, undefeated." Kikue shrugged. "I don't know what it feels like to lose."

"Kikue-chan, are you showing off?" Kise teased. Kikue gave him a pointed look before turning to go to the audience seats.

"Whatever you do, just try not to hurt yourself. The thing you talked about with Takeuchi-sensei, I don't like it." Kikue said to Kise as she left, then a lot more quietly to herself. "Though I would look after you if you do get hurt."

* * *

"Kikue-chan!" Kikue turned to see the biggest pair of boobs she had ever seen. Ah, correction, Kashiwagi Mion, whom she had become friends with during her month in Tokyo. "I didn't know you were coming to watch."

"Well, I had time." Kikue replied. "And I had a feeling Ryōta would complain if I don't turn up."

"When were you on first name basis with Kise-kun?" Mion smirked at the shorter girl. Kikue shrugged and took a seat next to Mion. "So you two are a thing?"

"No, I don't think so." Mion could swear she saw a frown on Kikue's face for the quickest second, but she blinked and Kikue's expression was neutral as it usually was. Kikue looked at Mion, as if miffed by her question, though she had given an answer. "I really don't think so."

"What, do you serious feel nothing towards him?" Mion questioned. "Even though I feel like you definitely like him."

"Maybe you're right about my feelings," Kikue said after a short silence. "But it doesn't mean Ryōta likes me." Kikue paused, and looked at the court where the two teams had gathered while she conversed with Mion. She forced herself to stare at Kise, and then turned her eyes back to Mion. "He's, very free."

"Freedom?" Mion muttered as she thought about Kikue's argument. "Well, I can see where you're coming from, he doesn't seem like he can settle down."

"That's not what I was thinking, but fair enough." Kikue giggled. Mion gave Kikue a pointed look. "He _is_ a model, fans are important, Miichan."

"Kikue-chan is the jealous type though," Mion stated. "Him accepting treats from fans don't tick you off? Even a little?"

"Miichan, I feed him dinner and dessert every second day, would I care?" Kikue replied. Mion laughed at the girl's reply. Kikue could say one thing, but Mion knew she was jealous. "Miichan, please, shut up. And don't let anyone know."

"Kikue-chan is definitely you're typical Leo." Mion commented, and the two girls stopped their conversation as the whistle for the match blew. "No hard feelings?"

"We're not the ones competing."

* * *

"Well Kikue-chan, word of advice," Mion started. Kikue hummed a reply, her eyes not leaving the court as she realised what Kise was going to do. She swallowed a sigh. That was going to hurt his body. "You might want to prepare yourself in bed."

"WHAT!?" Kikue's attention snapped away from the court, and even the percentage of hurting himself that was been calculated disappeared. She looked at her friend with complete disbelieve and her face flushed. She had been so shocked that she could only manage to mouth her disbelieve. Her voice did not find itself out of her throat. She was glad for that at least. Mion was sitting beside Kikue as if she had started a perfectly normal conversation.

"By the looks of him, he's probably the same type of person as Ahomine in bed." Mion continued. Kikue knew well that Mion was ignoring her discomfort. "They get really intense and wild."

"Kashiwagi Mion," Kikue started slowly, part of her brain noting how the match had moved into ten minutes break. "Explain to me, how watching basketball could lead you to start a conversation on what goes on in bed?"

"It's like any other conversation you should've had in middle school Kikue-chan." Mion looked at Kikue as the court was mopped down. "What did you spend your middle school life doing?"

"Not talking about sex, that's for sure." Kikue muttered.

"Wait, Kikue-chan, have you never dated before?"

"I was a little busy winning world championships for that," Kikue was obviously miffed, and Mion knew. And Kikue knew Mion knew. "Can we please stop talking about this?"

"Even though Kikue-chan is so cute?" Mion pouted. "You should live more like a fifteen-year-old."

"Miichan, I don't want to date anyone." Kikue said with a tone of finality. She gave Mion a pointed look before standing up. "I will go get drinks."

Kikue heard a giggle as she left.

* * *

"Kikue-chan, are you sure it's fine-ssu?" Kise asked as Kikue let him into her house. She had waited until the basketball club finished their meeting, and then had silently stayed by Kise's side. Then she had lead Kise to her house.

"Well, the only way I am capable of cheering you up would be cooking." Kikue muttered as she set down her own bag in the corner of the living room. "I told you I'm not good at this."

"Kikue-chan, it's fine-ssu, I appreciate the thought."

"I want to cook you dinner, got a problem with that?" Kise noticed that the girl's face was slightly red as she said that, and she instantly turned around and headed to the kitchen. Kise dropped his bag and followed Kikue.

"Kikue-chan, are you jealous of the snacks I've gotten from my fans earlier-ssu?"

"No." Was the short answer from the girl who seemed needlessly concentrated on looking through her fridge. Kise would've almost believed her if she hadn't repeated her reply a second time. "No I'm not, definitely not."

"Kikue-chan, you're frowning."

"You can't even see my face Ryōta." Kikue replied irritably, as if she knew her lie was been seen through. Kise walked closer to the girl, stopping next to the fridge. Kikue closed the fridge and straightened up, turning only to find Kise right next to her. She was blushing, and there was an unnatural pause between the two of them as they realised that they were probably _too_ close. "Step back a bit."

"Ah, right, sorry, I didn't notice-ssu." Kise stuttered quickly as he took a step back. Kikue's eyes flickered between his face and the ingredients she held in her hands, as if she was searching for the exact recipe to cook him as well. Maybe he deserved it for trying to tease her, and then accidentally stepping too close. But he wanted to see her reaction.

"Well," Kikue started. Kise took another half a step back, taking care not to hit anything in the kitchen. Kikue frowned, but continued. "Since you're in here, and you can't seem to shut up, you might as well help me make dinner."

"Kikue-chan looked like she was going to cook me as well-ssu." Kise sighed in relief. Kikue's frown disappeared as she burst into a fit of laughter, her eyes sparkling as she did so. Her laugh was so beautiful for a moment Kise just stared at the girl. It was such a nice change from the fragile girl that relied on no one else but herself, though he found her fragile side equally as attractive. Still giggling, Kikue walked over the Kise and passed him a head of cabbage.

"I don't think you have any right to be scared of a girl my height," Kikue shook her head as she smiled and turned to continue dinner preparations. Kise looked down at the cabbage, and then at the girl who had busied herself in the crop top and short shorts she had worn to watch his game. She looked at Kise as she grabbed the chopping board and spoke up again. "What are you standing there for?"

"Ah right, I will help-ssu."

* * *

"It's rare you get a day off from training, why are you at my house as if I just insulted your entire family, your ancestors inclusive?" Kikue asked as she pulled her hair into a pony tail. She had the air con on, however, her hair was getting in her way. Kise sat in her living room as if he wanted to pick a fight with Kikue, yet she could not find a reason as to why. "What did I do?"

"It's what you _didn't_ do Kikue-chan." Kise said as he fixed his golden eyes on her. Kikue blinked and willed her brain to remember what Kise could possibly mean. She had subconsciously picked up her pencil and spun it in her hand.

"I have no idea what you're annoyed about, Ryōta." Kikue said after a while.

"Please tell me the date five days ago-ssu."

"July the 27th?"

"And why am I asking you about July the 27th?"

"I don't know? Did I miss something important?"

"Kikue-chan, that was your birthday-ssu."

"Ah, you're right." Kikue replied as she realised she had forgotten her own birthday through the chaos that her life had spiraled into. "I forgot with all the stuff going on. But there shouldn't be a reason for you to be annoyed about that."

"Yes there is, since Kikue-chan got me a present for my birthday-ssu."

"I get paid," Kikue said, trying to avoid Kise's pout by looking down at her homework. "A lot."

"Don't avoid eye contact with me Kikue-chan," Kise commented. "Is there anything you want for your birthday-ssu?"

"No," Kikue said, not looking up. "By the way, have you done your homework?"

"There has to be something you want Kikue-chan," Kise said, and unable to control herself, she flinched. That was her problem exactly. She didn't have anything she wanted that could be granted easily. Her grandfather's health was one thing. Her uncle returning was another. Then there was the fact that she had become so incredibly aware of Kise Ryōta as the opposite gender because of Mion. Hanging out together often was different from dating, and Kikue was sure she didn't want to go out with Kise. Not with her situation and her mental state. She would only ground him, and she knew instinctively Kise was not someone who wanted to be grounded.

"I don't want anything Ryōta, it's fine." Kikue said, knowing all too well her voice betrayed her worries. "I've been told that's a problem."

"Is it," Kise started cautiously. "Because of something with your parents?"

"I guess," Kikue replied, looking up at the blond, who looked troubled. "I'm working on it, I'm really trying."

"Ah no, I know that-ssu," Kise said quickly. "I was just thinking if I knew something Kikue-chan might like."

"You ask me such a question and doesn't even end up paying attention?" Kikue sighed and shook her head. But when she looked at Kise, she was smiling. "Well you know Ryōta, do my family a service and keep visiting."

"That's what I would do _without_ Kikue-chan having to say." Kise whined.

"Then keep doing it." Kikue said. Then, in a smaller voice, she muttered to herself. "It's the only time I can keep you to myself."

She didn't want to find out if Kise had heard her.

* * *

"And so everyone is paying me surprise visits," Kikue commented as she opened the door to reveal her two friends, Hatsuna and Shouko. She let them into the house and closed the door behind her. It was an afternoon, and Kikue had just returned from visiting her grandfather. He was doing a lot better, which put Kikue in a good mood, however, she had also found out that Kise had been paying her grandfather visits without her knowing. That was strange. "So, why are you two here all of a sudden?"

"To do homework?" Shouko said, sitting down in front of the table and taking out a few handouts. "I've been at club activities so I haven't done any of this."

"And Hacchan?" Kikue asked as she walked to the kitchen to get chilled mugi-cha. She returned moments later with three cups of tea.

"I had time, and we haven't seen Kikue-chan for quite a while."

"You see me every time I kidnap you to help the basketball club with me Hacchan," Kikue sighed. She could figure out why her friends had chosen to visit her at her house now. Another Mion episode incoming. Kikue swallowed another sigh. "Which reminds me, Hacchan, can you cook?"

"Cooking? Not really?"

"Shouko can you…wrong person to ask." Kikue sat down and rested her chin on her hand. Shouko understood the gist of Kikue's predicament and laughed, earning a glare from Kikue and a confused look from Hatsuna.

"Did the basketball club ask you to help out at their training camp?" Shouko asked, and Kikue nodded. "You're not even their manager, but you've got time don't you?"

"I'm reluctant to leave Grandpa," Kikue started. "But Grandpa said it would do me good if I went. I don't get it."

"I'm sure they would understand if you didn't want to go Kikue-chan." Hatsuna said. And Kikue frowned.

"I'm been told by my own Grandpa, that it would be nice if I went to the basketball club's training camp." Kikue sighed. "Because Kise Ryōta had said it would be nice if I went. I don't understand."

"Matsui, do you really not understand, or are you playing dumb?" Shouko asked, hiding a smirk. She turned to Hatsuna and the two girls exchanged a knowing look. Kikue observed her friends with an unamused expression, then gave Shouko a pointed look. Shouko and Hatsuna laughed. "On that note, how come Kise has gone to visit your grandfather?"

"No clue, according to Grandpa, he goes really frequently." Kikue said. "Next thing I know he will be my Uncle's best friend."

"That sounds like a Kise thing to do." Shouko said. "What do you think of him Matsui?"

"I knew you couldn't have just came over to do homework." Kikue shook her head and glanced at Hatsuna, who seemed equally interested about her opinion of Kise. "Ryōta is Ryōta, what kind of answer are you two looking for?"

"Do you like him?"

"Of course I do, why else would I hang out with him so much?"

"Shouko-chan didn't mean as friends. More than friends?"

"Maybe, probably," Kikue answered. "Most likely."

"What's with that answer?"

"I don't know."

"Matsui."

"You should do your homework Shouko."

* * *

 _I cannot wait until I start writing Aomine's fic with Mion. Ah but then...Aomine is a hard character to write. Decisions._

 _Does that constitute as spoilers, or is that ok?_

 _Murasaki xx_


	11. Chapter 10

_I had fun writing this. I really did._

* * *

"Hacchan, how much food do you think I'm required to prepare?" Kikue's voice was without emotion.

"Kikue-chan, why am I here exactly?" Hatsuna's voice quivered slightly.

"Because the lady who was helping me has a broken arm?"

"Was there no one else you could've called?"

"Hacchan, do I look like I have friends?"

"Kikue-chan, that just sounds really sad."

"Point being, Shouko is at her own training camp."

"Kikue-chan, what exactly do you want me to do?"

"Cut the lettuce for now."

"And how do I do that?"

"With a knife and common sense Hacchan." Kikue replied as she expertly diced the chicken. She turned around and stared at her friend. "Hacchan, I said we were making salad, not hamburgers."

"W-what's the difference?"

"It wouldn't kill anyone if you cut it bigger." Kikue said. "I am slightly concerned whether you would survive in the future Hacchan."

"Kikue-chan I'm sorry please don't say any more."

"For now, how about cutting them into larger pieces?"

"O-ok Kikue-chan."

"Ok, that looks fine now." Kikue said aloud, then turned to face the ingredients she had set out on the table, and began muttering to herself in an attempt to sort out her thoughts. "What am I meant to do now," She walked over to a shopping bag and peered inside. "Who the heck brought this?" Kikue quickly closed the bag and remembered why she was at a loss in the first place. "I wonder if they have dark chocolate. Hacchan, halt whatever you are doing, help me look for cake ingredients."

"Why are we looking for cake ingredients?" Hatsuna stopped attempting to cut the lettuce and turned to help her friend. Kikue looked at Hatsuna for a second and smiled.

"Well, I always forget that Hacchan only cares about Moriyama-senpai." Kikue teased and climbed onto the bench top, being unable to reach the top cabinet due to her height. "Sakaki-senpai's birthday is today, so I thought I might as well."

"Kikue-chan since when-"

"Since I accidentally became friends with Momoi Satsuki." Kikue cut Hatsuna off as she reached into the cabinet for the cocoa powder she had been searching for. When she grabbed it, she hadn't realised that with it, came other jars. She lost her balance trying to catch a glass jar, and instantly knew she had made a mistake. She was going to fall. Profanities found their way out of the girl's mouth as she prepared for her imminent death. Only to find, seconds later, that she was caught by Kise. "I'm very thankful for preventing my death Ryōta, but what did I say two days ago about _not_ coming into the kitchen?"

"I'm looking for water-ssu."

"There are taps outside," Kikue said as she set the cocoa powder on the table and steadied herself. She turned to Hatsuna. "I got what I needed, didn't die, you can go back to the lettuce. Thanks Hacchan." Then Kikue took Kise's water bottle and filled it up with lemon water, passing it back without a word. "Use the taps properly next time."

"Understood-ssu Kikue-chan." Kise smiled. "You should be careful too."

* * *

"Hacchan, I remember making a lot of food."

"As do I."

"Hacchan, you cut lettuce."

"I cut a lot of lettuce."

"Apparently not."

"You've been cooking that much food for the past two days?"

"Yes Hacchan," Kikue deadpanned as she slipped out of the dining hall and into the corridor with Hatsuna next to her. She began to make her way to the kitchen. "At least now I know that I can become a canteen lady if I ever need a job."

"Kikue-chan, I really don't think you will ever need to fall back onto that option."

"Hacchan, you never know what life likes to throw at you." Kikue said as she opened the fridge and took out the chocolate cupcakes she had made earlier. "There's another two plates in the other fridge, help me carry them Hacchan."

"When exactly did you have time to make these?"

"When you were cutting lettuce Hacchan," Was all Kikue said before she carried two plates of cupcakes and walked out of the kitchen. Hatsuna hurried after her with the other two plates, being extra careful in case she tripped. "Hacchan, remind me never to agree to this again."

"There's still two more days of this, Kikue-chan."

"I know," Kikue said as she nudged open the door to the dining hall with her foot. Attention settled on her and her friend. She stuttered. "Ah, um, Sakaki-senpai's birthday, and, well, cupcakes."

"Kikue-chan, is that why you were searching the cabinets before-ssu?"

"Ah, yeah, I thought, I might as well." Kikue said quickly and set down the cupcakes. "I will be outside; you can just leave everything once you're done."

* * *

Kikue took out her phone that had not ceased buzzing since that morning. She knew very well who it was, but she didn't want to pick up. There was no point of her picking the phone up, since she was most likely not going to get a word in edgewise. It had been like that since she could remember.

Her mother's family.

She declined the call and sat down on the wooden veranda. To her surprise, there was a message from her father's friend. She had not given him her social media details, but it seemed like Benedikt Einstein had no trouble finding her.

He was her father's best friend, and her German teacher for the duration of her primary school life. But since her parents passed away, she had cut him off. Perhaps that was her fault, but he had wanted her to continue music. Which was beyond Kikue's capabilities. And the last time she had spoken to him at Worlds, he had implanted a spike in her brain.

 _"Kikue, you can do so much, but what do you_ want _to do?"_

Kikue opened up the message. It was in German.

[Kikue, the suggestion that I gave you before will stand until you make up your mind.]

That was the kindness that made Kikue guilty enough she dialed an international call. Benedikt picked up the phone at almost an alarming speed.

"Hello?" The language was German, but Kikue was readily versed.

"Uncle Benedikt?" Kikue tested.

"Kikue? I didn't think you would ring me!" The reply was happy and upbeat, but the continuation sounded worried. "I know you don't want to touch music again but I just-"

"I am thinking about it." Kikue said. The line went silent, but Kikue knew the call continued. She had surprised herself with the answer, however, she knew it was her step forward. Perhaps not the first step, but her step forward. Playing her violin was the first step. And she had somewhat enjoyed that. Kikue continued before her own cowardice shut her up. "I will give you an answer before I graduate, I promise. I just need time."

"Kikue!" Benedikt seemed a lot happier than Kikue herself, but that was fine with her too. "That's great! It would be perfectly fine if you didn't want to continue music too you know, it's a challenge to play against you in the Worlds."

"I will see," Kikue replied with a smile as she leaned back from where she was sitting to lie down on the wooden veranda, only to find herself looking at a head of gold. "For the love of, who in the…" She swore in German, then realised it was Kise, and blinked away her surprise. "Ah, it's just Ryōta."

"Your friend? A boy?" Benedikt piped up in Japanese, and he was loud enough Kikue _knew_ Kise must've heard. She sighed.

"I'm at a club's training camp at the moment," She said in Japanese, gesturing Kise to have a seat next to her as she sat back up. There went her relax time. "I will call once I have time, Uncle Benedikt."

"Sure! Say hi to your boyfriend for me!" Came the reply before Kikue was fast enough to cut the line. She turned to Kise and shrugged.

"What language was that-ssu?" Kise asked.

"German, I learnt it when I was in primary school." Kikue replied. "Why aren't you inside?"

"It was really loud, and I got the feeling I might be hit again-ssu."

"Is that so?" Kikue said, her attention elsewhere. "Ah that reminds me, can I revert back to calling you Kise-kun?"

"Why-ssu?"

"Your fans gives me really intense glares." Kikue said as she looked at Kise, as if he should already know the reason. But Kise got the feeling she didn't particularly want to revert back. He wanted her to keep calling him Ryōta too. It was a nice sound when it rolled off her tongue.

"No, keep calling me Ryōta, it sounds nice-ssu." Kise replied. Kikue smiled to herself.

"You will lose popularity." Kikue said, though not sounding particularly worried either. Kikue's phone buzzed in her hand, this time from an unknown number. She looked at Kise, who gestured her to take the call. "This is Matsui."

"Ah Kikue-chan?" Through the phone came a much too familiar voice. He sounded overly cheerful, and Kikue froze. It had been years since she last heard his voice, and she did not exactly want to talk to him. "This is Kikue-chan right? It's me, Hibiki." Kikue kept quiet. Her expression must've betrayed all her thoughts, because Kise looked worried. "Eh, I'm pretty sure the signal is ok this time."

"This is Matsui Kikue," Kikue started, almost startling herself with her harsh tone. "I do not, however, recall an acquaintance named Hibiki." She cut the line. She counted to ten, and took a few deep breaths. She felt Kise's hand on hers before she could say anything, and was immensely grateful for the gesture. That was the warmth she needed; a warmth that remained next to her. She relaxed slightly. " Thank you Ryōta."

"Was that…?"

"My uncle," Kikue replied after a short silence. "I haven't heard from him since I was ten."

"For now Kikue-chan, how about resting up for a little before you busy yourself again?" Kise suggested, his hand not leaving Kikue's. Despite herself, Kikue giggled at Kise's attempt to cheer her up. It was such a cute gesture from Kise. Kise pouted slightly at Kikue's giggling.

"Ryōta, I thought you dated girls before."

"Kikue-chan's different-ssu," Kise said and was met with a long period of silence. He looked over at Kikue, who had curled into a ball and hid her face. "Kikue-chan, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, I'm going to go check on Hacchan." Kikue said quickly, pulling her hand out from under Kise's and walked off without looking at Kise, forgetting her phone on the veranda. Kise saw a tinge of pink on her cheeks as she left. Kise picked up Kikue's phone, and smiled to himself.

* * *

Kise had managed to return Kikue's phone the next morning, since he was dragged to help with clean up, and couldn't find Hatsuna anywhere either. The phone had rang quite a few times while it was with him, and it was the same number every time. Though when he gave the phone back to Kikue, he didn't ask. He had not seen Kikue pick up her phone the entire time she had been at the training camp, so it must've been someone else Kikue didn't want to speak with. Kise understood that.

Kikue didn't mention anything to him either, but her expression told him that if he pushed her she would've told him. Though, Kise thought, the training camp was not the right place. And then at one point he had checked his own phone to find a message from Kikue that told him she would tell him later.

* * *

"Um, Shouko, why exactly am I at your house?" Kikue asked. She had been forcibly brought to Shouko's while she was mid-way preparing to go to the summer festival.

"Because you said you didn't own a yukata."

"And that matters because?" Kikue questioned as she was stripped by Hatsuna as Shouko brought out an orange yukata with white patterns. "Wait, Hacchan, what is going on here?"

"We agreed that Kikue-chan needs to go in a yukata." Hatsuna said, as if that answered Kikue's questions. Shouko busied herself with tying the obi around Kikue's waist.

"Matsui, are you even eating enough?" Shouko asked as she tightened the obi. Kikue _had_ lost some weight while her grandfather was in ICU, but she didn't feel _that_ thin. Kikue frowned. "No seriously, it's like you don't have organs."

"Of course I have organs Shouko." Kikue deadpanned as she stared at herself in the mirror. The yukata suited her. And then Shouko pulled her to a chair, and began brushing her hair.

"Shouko-chan, I brought the hair accessories here." Hatsuna said as she took out two apricot orange ribbons. Kikue must've looked mortified, because Hatsuna giggled and spoke again. "Trust me, it would suit."

"I agreed to go to the festival, not to a total make over with bright colours." Kikue complained, though she made no move to stop Shouko from tying her hair into twin buns. She watched as Shouko took the two ribbons and tied them one to each hair bun. She hated to admit it, but it _did_ suit her.

"Well, the yukata is from Mama, it's a hand me down she wore once." Hatsuna said. "It's my family's present to Kikue-chan, since we missed your birthday."

"I don't remember telling anyone about my birthday?" Kikue questioned.

"You forget how famous you are Matsui." Shouko said. She pointed to the ribbons in Kikue's hair. "I got you these. Because they are your colour."

"I look like the packaging of an Australia snack." Kikue commented, though she had to admit, she didn't look like a nightmare. That was always good. Shouko smirked at her comment. "Halloween edition."

"All the better," Shouko started, and Hatsuna smiled. "All the easier for Kise to eat you then."

"Shouko!" Kikue exclaimed, and then heard Hatsuna laughing. She sighed. "No Hatsuna too, plus, I thought I was going with you two."

"As if," Shouko rolled her eyes. "While we ship you off with Kise, I get to drag Hatsuna to be closer with the rest of the basketball club." Kikue knew that by the 'rest of the basketball club', Shouko meant Moriyama, who Hatsuna had a crush on. She frowned, unhappy that she was left out of the loop, but then looked at Hatsuna, who paled as if it was her first time hearing the news. Kikue laughed.

"Shouko, you're a genius." Kikue laughed as Hatsuna groaned. "Hacchan, that's natural isn't it?"

"Shouko-chan promised me it was only going to be Kikue-chan!"

"I didn't _promise_ , I just said it would be nice if we could pair Matsui up." Shouko smirked. "And then I found out some interesting information while talking to Kise."

"When did you become good friends with Ryōta?" Kikue asked. Shouko patted her on the shoulder.

"There's no reason to be jealous Matsui, I just had to reach common ground with Kise as to the arrangement for tonight." Kikue closed her eyes and counted to ten, though she was pretty sure she blushed.

"Well then, let's get Hacchan ready." Kikue said as she stood up and pulled Hatsuna to the chair.

* * *

"Senpai-tachi, I think it's good manners to treat the girl who always helps out with manager jobs." Kikue piped in. They had by miracle, or Shouko's stalking skills, met up with the Kaijou basketball club. Hatsuna looked mortified as Shouko slowly nudged her closer to Moriyama as they walked around the festival. Kasamatsu looked somewhat uncomfortable, but Kikue knew how to deal with that as she secretly messaged Hazuki Mai. Without knowing, she had ended up trailing on the end of the group with Kise by her side. Shouko turned around and winked at Kise without Kikue noticing, and Kise took Kikue's hand. Kikue looked up from her phone, where she had received a reply from Mai and was replying to her, just as they were separated from the rest of the group. "So that's what Shouko schemed with you."

"I don't think this is the only thing Sato-san schemed-ssu."

"Well, the other part I schemed with Shouko, since I don't play a game where I would lose." Kikue said confidently, putting her phone into the small bag she had with her. Kise chuckled. "What?"

"But Kikue-chan decided to play the game with me-ssu." Kise smiled.

"Don't smile at me like that, I'm not your prey."

"My point being-ssu, Kikue-chan is playing a game where she won't win."

"Then I don't have to win." Kikue replied. "It would be fine for me to let you win this game." She continued, and then added. "Probably."

* * *

The day after the festival, Hatsuna sent Kikue and Shouko a group message on LINE and reprimanded them for somehow leaving her alone with Moriyama. Chuckling lightly to herself, Kikue threw on Kise's jacket, which for some reason was still at her house, over her clothes and headed to Kanagawa Central Hospital.

Her grandfather had been getting better, which was a positive. Though sometimes he still looks a little pale, and Kikue was worried that he might relapse, which had made her make more frequent visits.

When she arrives at her grandfather's room, Matsui Mikage was awake, and looked much better than he had in a while. That instantly lifted Kikue's mood. She smiled as she skipped into the room.

"Grandpa, when did you make a trip in a time machine to make you look so young?" Kikue chimed as she took a seat on the chair. It had been such a long time since her grandfather had been well enough for her to enjoy some quality time with him. And if it was the one thing Kikue thought she didn't show enough, it was her love for her grandfather. Kikue's eyes fell on a basket of pears on the table. "Did Ryōta visit without me again?"

"He did, a charming little one he is." Mikage smiled at his granddaughter, who looked visibly vexed. He knew Kikue never felt the best when he was in hospital, so he was glad she was beginning to take time to herself, and make time for her friends. Kise definitely brightened Kikue up.

"You can hardly say he's _little_ , Grandpa." Kikue commented.

"How was the festival yesterday?" Mikage asked, laughing.

"Grandpa, did you tell Ryōta about my selective blindness?" Kikue asked, though she didn't seem angry in the slightest. "There's no other reason he would've insisted on making me play that basketball game."

"Maybe he thought you would be good at it," Mikage laughed. "Since you help out so much."

"Grandpa!"

On her out of the hospital, Kikue passed a boy who drew her attention. He was like Kise, a song she could not determine. She knew somehow that she would be meeting him sometime in the future.

* * *

 _Halloween edition of Tim Tams. Although I don't even eat them.  
_

 _Really, I don't sound Australian._

 _Murasaki xx_


	12. Chapter 11

_Updating this before my other KnB fic because I'm a horrible person and can't get my motivations in the right places._

 _Now leaving to write my other fic so that I actually update this week and not get killed by others._

 _Enjoy the chapter as I go hide._

* * *

"Kikue-chan, can I please ask where we are going now-ssu?"

"It's Mama's friend's place. She owns an entertainment company." Kikue said, her hand tucked in Kise's pants pocket with his. It was particularly cold that day, even though it was only autumn and winter was still a while away. "She called yesterday to ask me of a favour."

"Is it ok for me to be there-ssu?"

"Well, if I insist, Guren-san shouldn't have a problem about it." Kikue said uncertainly. Then she frowned. "It wasn't as if she gave me a choice about going, so who I bring with me is my choice."

"Kikue-chan is really childish sometimessu." Kise smiled.

"Only in front of certain people." Kikue muttered, slightly embarrassed.

"Does that mean I'm special-ssu?" Kise teased, only to see Kikue blush. "Woah, really-ssu Kikue-chan?"

"I didn't ask you to come with me so you could tease me." Kikue said as she led him into a high-rise building. She made her way to the reception desk and slipped her hand out of Kise's pocket. "Matsui Kikue, I have an appointment with Guren-san."

"Ah yes, I was informed, however, only of your arrival, not an-"

"I know, just ring Guren-san, I will speak to her." Kikue cut of the lady. Kise flashed an apologetic grin to the lady, and with a blush, she dialed the phone for Guren Saki. Kise felt Kikue nudge him slightly, but she said nothing when he looked at her. Seconds later, Kikue was passed the phone.

"Kikue-chan? What's wrong?"

"I brought someone with me, the reception won't let him in."

"Eh, but I-"

"You forced me to come here, so you will let me bring whomever I see fit." Kikue reasoned, well, perhaps more like forced. She heard a chuckle from Guren Saki.

"Sure, bring your company up then."

"She said ok." Kikue told the reception lady as she handed back the receiver. "Also, I would be so embarrassed that I would want to hide in a cave if I was your age and kept blushing at every man I see." With that, Kikue grabbed Kise by his elbow and dragged him to the elevator with her. She spoke again before Kise could ask her the question. "She tried to flirt with Papa before, while Mama was _right next to him_. So don't go smiling at her."

"Kikue-chan, you're the jealous type-ssu."

"I am not." Kikue replied weakly. That was something everyone seemed to want to point out about her. Though, she could hardly deny it. She couldn't help being territorial.

"I feel like, I'm seeing a lot of different faces of Kikue-chan lately-ssu." Kise chimed.

"It's cold, so lend me you pocket later." Kikue muttered as they arrived at the door of Saki's office.

"Sure-ssu."

* * *

"Kikue-chan, I was so scared you wouldn't come!" She was greeted with the over enthusiastic lady she had never been the biggest fan of. Though, Guren Saki _was_ her mother's best friend. Behind Saki on the couch, three boys sat in a row, one of them looking as if he would rather be somewhere else. Kikue could relate to that. And then with a start, she recognised him as the boy she had passed in the hospital a while ago. "Let me introduce you, these three are our newest talents, Takigawa Izumi, Hori Kakeru and Hori Satoru."

Kikue took a seat as she observed the trio, she resisted the urge to reach for the warmth of Kise's hand. She _knew_ nothing good ever came out of associating with Saki. Music related. Definitely.

"I'm Kakeru-"

"And I'm Satoru."

"We are the Hori twins~" The two brunette boys sang.

"Guren-san, if she is someone who you can't even trust to turn up, I don't think she can do anything about our music arrangement." The boy in the middle said. Kikue swallowed a sigh and made sure she didn't frown. She wanted to leave.

"Now, now, Izumi-kun, Kikue-chan isn't a professional, but she _is_ a genius." Besides Kikue, she felt Kise tense up. She wanted to laugh and tell Kise that she should've been the one to tense up. She sent Kise a look that told him she was somewhat ok, and that he could relax. He relaxed, somewhat. "She's not just your idol mahjong girl."

"Guren-san, I want to leave." Kikue said.

"Ah sorry, sorry!"

"I don't see the point of this."

"And I do," Saki said as she passed Kikue a stack of sheet music. Kikue looked at her in confusion. "I want to ask Kikue-chan to help arrange this piece so that it sounds better."

"And you skip all the professionals?" Kikue questioned as she flipped the sheet music. It was a good song, definitely could make a hit. But something seemed lacking.

"Kikue-chan is better than any professional out there!"

"I am not," Kikue muttered lightly as she finished reading the sheet music. She gave Saki a dirty look before she voiced her thoughts. "It's a good song. Something doesn't seem right though."

"Can you fix that?"

"Guren-san, get a professional to do it." Kikue said. But Saki frowned at her, and she knew she was stuck with a job she didn't want. Kikue sighed. "I will get back to you in a week."

"Kikue-chan!"

"I'm not promising anything amazing." Kikue said as she stood up and offered a hand to Kise. Once her fingers were intertwined with Kise's, Kikue picked up the sheet music she had set down. "I will ring once I've got something. For now, we're leaving."

* * *

Kise was really happy when Kikue said 'we' and not 'I', when they were leaving. He could tell the older lady whom Kikue had called Guren-san wanted Kikue to stay longer, but he could also tell that Kikue was not overly happy to be there. Well, the only person he needed to worry about was Kikue.

"It looks like it's going to rain." Kikue said, looking up at the sky slightly. "I didn't bring an umbrella. Let's go somewhere to avoid rain."

"Kikue-chan, are you inviting me on a date-ssu?"

"How about a simple outing?" Kikue commented. "I just don't want to go home and face this." Kikue held up the sheet music. "If I can put it off, then I would like to put it off. Plus, it's so quiet at home, its unsettling."

"You can always call me you know, Kikue-chan."

"Thank you Ryōta." Kikue said, leaning in towards Kise. "I feel safe with you."

"Really Kikue-chan?"

"Why not, you make it sound like you don't like that."

"You will understand one day-ssu, Kikue-chan."

* * *

"Kikue-chan, hold out your hand-ssu." Kise said to Kikue, who turned her attention to him from a pair of heeled boots. She was greeted with a sakura decorated bag. In confusion, Kikue held out her hand, and Kise took out the contents of the bag. It was a pale orange lip gloss. "I thought it would suit you-ssu."

"If I remember correctly, today is a normal day, so why the gift?"

"Kikue-chan got me shoes before-ssu."

"That was your birthday," Kikue said as she was forced to take the lip gloss. Of course, it was nothing expensive, but Kikue was not sure why Kise out of people got her a lip gloss. "And why does everyone think I suit orange?"

"Before that, Kikue-chan," Kikue noticed that Kise was one, really close to her; and two, they were attracting a lot of attention. Kikue swallowed a sigh, she knew she should've ignored all the interviews. Being famous was not something she enjoyed when she just wanted a simple day out. She ignored how fast her heart was beating from Kise's closeness as he took her hand and they made an escape from attention.

* * *

"So Ryōta, why are we, in the change rooms of a shop?" Kikue panted as Kise locked the change room doors behind them. Kikue hoped the staff of the shop didn't judge them too badly, though she suspected Kise knew the staff in the shop, since he had made a beeline for it. "We could've just smiled and dealt with them."

"It would be improper to leave a lady like that-ssu." Kise said with a grin. Kikue also giggled.

"And it's, ah, _proper_ , to lock a lady in a change room together with yourself?" Kikue questioned with a smile on her face. Kise blushed slightly, but the both of them became silent when they heard the crowd from earlier.

"Ah, no, I believe they went further down." Kikue heard the staff say. She saw Kise pale, and then frown. A few seconds later, a knock on the door made Kise rest his head on Kikue's shoulder. "Ryōta~"

"Please pretend nothing happened Ria-nee." Kise muttered. Kikue tentatively reached out her hand and opened the door, then, using the same hand, patted Kise on the head. She was slightly confused about the situation, however, she had a pretty good guess on who the staff was. She shared the same golden eyes as Kise, and the same air of confidence as Erika. Kise did not lift his head. "Why did you open the door-ssu Kikue-chan?"

"I'm Kise Ria," The red-haired girl introduced, then pulled Kise by the back of his shirt collar, away from Kikue. "This idiot's sister."

"I'm Matsui Kikue," Kikue introduced herself with a smile. She could see why Kise was as he was. "I'm sorry we caused trouble."

"I didn't think Ria-nee was working today-ssu." Kise said with a sigh. "Thanks for the help Ria-nee."

"As if I want to help you," Ria said as she took Kikue's hand and pulled Kikue towards her. "Erika-nee talks so much about this cutie, there's no way I would _not_ save her from a pinch." Ria steered Kikue towards the back of the shop, where there was an entrance for the staff. "Ryōta behave, we will be back in a little bit."

"Wait Ria-nee-"

Ria ignored Kise's complaints and closed the door behind them, sitting Kikue down in front of a gigantic mirror. A few seconds later, Ria set what Kikue could only presume to be her makeup pouch next to her. "Even if your skin is good as it is, you really should put some BB cream on."

"I was convinced this morning that I looked fine." Kikue objected weakly. If it was anything she learnt from dealing with Kise Erika, it was to just accept things as Erika said they were. She suspected Ria was the same.

"You _do_ look fine," Ria said, startling Kikue with her reply as she took out a BB cream. "You could just look fine enough to charm all the men out there with a touch of makeup."

"I don't particularly want to." Kikue muttered as Ria spread BB cream on her face.

"Then how about charming Ryōta?" Ria smirked.

"After he did my laundry?" Kikue questioned, suppressing an eye roll. Ria laughed.

"Even your underwear?" Ria asked as she finished up spreading the BB cream and produced an eyeliner. Kikue nodded and Ria shook her head. "How he became so clumsy when dealing with sensitive matters is beyond me."

"He apologised. Recently." Kikue tried. Ria stared at her as if she grew a second head.

"But you are not going out with him." Ria stated. "And he's annoying."

"He's not annoying, at least I don't quite think so." Kikue said, then realised she had just fallen into Ria's trap. She hoped she wasn't blushing, though, from Ria's smirk, she was blushing. "He means well."

"Doll, do pass me the lip gloss." Ria said, as if Kikue's response never happened. Kikue passed Ria the lip gloss she had been holding since Kise forced her to take it. Ria held it up to Kikue's face and studied it for a while. "At least he got the right colour." She said, opened it, and applied some on Kikue's lips. "Ryōta can be pretty bratty, but he does have his serious side."

"I know," Kikue replied after Ria was finished with the lip gloss. Kikue smiled as she was returned the lip gloss. "Just between girls, but he's entrancing on the court."

"Alright then, off you go Doll," Ria announced with a satisfied smile. "I don't need to hear anything flattering about my lame brother."

* * *

"At least the rain stopped." Kikue commented as they stepped out of the shopping center. Kise had taken her hand in his again at some point. Kikue decided that she quite liked that. However, since they left the shop Ria worked at, Kise had been unusually quiet. "Let's head back."

"Sure-ssu." Came the short reply. Kikue didn't ask. If he didn't want to tell her, then she wasn't going to ask. The walk was silent, but the silence was not unpleasant. To begin with, silence between the two wasn't unusual.

Kikue wasn't sure at which point they drew attention to themselves again, probably since the beginning. Kise pulled Kikue into an alleyway on the side of the road, pulled his hoodie over his head and leaned his face in dangerously close.

Crowd peeked over slightly, but quickly moved away, searching where else for possible gossip about teenage celebrities.

But even when they were completely out of sight, Kise did not move away.

"Kikue-chan, are you seducing me?"

"I-I'm w-what?" Kikue stuttered, consciously avoiding eye contact with Kise. He was _too_ close, and she had no idea what he was thinking. She felt like a rabbit who was trapped by a wolf.

"Putting this on, just after I got it for you." Kise muttered as his hand touched her cheek. His thumb ran beneath Kikue's lips, and then, without warning, lifted her face up and captured her lips with his.

Kikue had froze when Kise's hand touched her cheek. Her senses seemed to suddenly work so much better. She was acutely aware of how cold his hand was compared to her face. Her brain completely blanked when he leaned in and his lips touched hers.

The feeling was real.

The softness of his lips.

The warmth that she felt despite the cold.

The hunger and longing in that kiss.

The vast gentleness in the same kiss.

Under the guidance of pure instinct, Kikue kissed him back.

The lonely feeling when they broke apart was something Kikue did not want to be accustomed to, but she knew she had fallen too deep.

The two teens looked at each other, their cheeks bright red. Whether it was the kiss, or the weather, they could not say.

* * *

"I can already see the riot that would happen if tabloids managed to snoop that." Kikue said as they walked home. Kise laughed softly.

"They would probably make a big deal about me not being good enough-ssu."

"And why do you think that?" Kikue asked.

"Kikue-chan, think about it, you're a world champion," Kise smiled, as if it didn't bother him in the slightest. "Super smart, and talented musician. I'm just a basketball player-ssu."

"Super famous basketball player who is also a model?" Kikue retaliated. "I'm the one who's going to be criticised."

"Well, it's not like we got caught, so we shouldn't worry too much about it-ssu, Kikue-chan."

"Well, as you say Ryōta."

* * *

 _Just realised how slow this story may seem._

 _Murasaki xx_


	13. Chapter 12

_Am I sorry I didn't update last week?_

 _Yes._

 _But no._

 _BECAUSE UNI HAD ME NOT SLEEPING FOR THE WEEK BECAUSE I CAN'T GET UP. Ok, the not sleeping part was true, but I could've just made an effort to set more than fifteen alarms. But either way._

 _Please just accept that I will update irregularly, because I'm a horrible person like that._

* * *

Kikue looked at the black board incredulously. She didn't particularly comprehend her own hand writing. Well, she never knew her class was insane. Shouko was so going to laugh once she hears about this.

"So," She started in a much calmer voice than she felt. "We will be doing a cross-dressing café for the cultural festival." She made eye contact with Kise, who seemed to be pouting as if blaming her for not helping. She almost smiled, but she opted instead to continue the organisation. "How does everyone want to go about role assignment?"

"Let's just draw lots," Nito Tomoda, the other cultural festival organizer of her class said. She looked around the class, and found much of the class nodding. "Unless some people have specific roles they want."

"I will go borrow a box from the staff room," Kikue said and set down the chalk she had been writing with. "While I'm gone, can someone please make a list of roles to put into the box?"

"Kikue-chan, I can do that." Hatsuna said. Kikue blinked in Hatsuna's direction, and received a timid smile. She smiled back and existed the classroom.

* * *

"So, who even started the vote?" Shouko asked, laughing. Hatsuna had told her a few seconds prior that their class was doing a cross-dressing café. The three of them had gathered in the music room as always. "Before that Nakazuki, who's Matsui talking to?"

"I don't quite know either." Hatsuna replied. The two girls looked over at Kikue, who was frowning as she talked on the phone. Her voice was light, though it seemed as if Kikue just wanted to smash her phone from irritation. A moment later, before Hatsuna could continue, Shouko and Hatsuna saw Kikue walk over to the grand piano.

"I'm saying, it's not F sharp there." Kikue said, obviously irritated. "Guren-san, shut up for a second." Kikue pulled out the stool and sat down, checking the keys of the piano. Once she was happy that everything seemed to be in order, she started playing. After about three bars, she stopped and spoke again. "See, that's the original. And now I will play the same part on the one I wrote." Kikue played another three bars. "See?"

"Matsui could play piano since when?" Shouko asked in a small voice. Hatsuna looked at Shouko as if she grew a second head.

"Kikue-chan's mother was Kinoshita Kaede, that really famous violinist." Hatsuna whispered, having learnt a while ago that it was a touchy topic for Kikue. "Kikue-chan knows piano and violin. Mama said she used to win a lot of competitions when she was younger."

"Is there something she _can't_ do?" Shouko shook her head.

"I give up, how about you just give the sheet music to the people who's actually going to sing it?" Kikue concluded, her irritation evident in her voice. "I'm at school so I need to hang up, if there's any more problems, tell the trio to ring me." Kikue hung up. She set the phone on top of the piano and sighed. "Why can she not understand the difference of one note."

"Matsui, are you alright there?" Shouko asked. Kikue looked in the direction of Shouko and Hatsuna, and as if for the first time, realised that she was not alone. Kikue bit her bottom lip and seemed to pale. "Wait Matsui, do you need to go to the infirmary?"

"Did you two, hear?" Kikue asked, seemingly trying to hold herself together. Shouko and Hatsuna looked at each other and approached Kikue, who didn't seem like she was doing too well. "Don't, just answer me, did you hear?"

"Well, we heard," Hatsuna replied hesitantly, gauging how her answer affected Kikue. Kikue breathed in and out a few times, and then the next sequence of events happened so fast neither Hatsuna or Shouko had the time to react. Kikue had first stood up from her stool, and then attempted to walk to the door. But she had made two steps and collapsed. Shouko and Hatsuna stood their ground for a second, completely stunned, before realising that Kikue needed immediate help. Shouko rushed out of the music room.

Hatsuna moved Kikue so that she leaned against a wall. Kikue was bizarrely light, which made Hatsuna's job much easier, but made Hatsuna incredibly worried for her friend. Somewhere at the back of her head, she remembered a story her mother had told her when she was in her last year of elementary school. She was sure it was about Kikue.

The story went a little something along the lines of a genius girl, whose parents were famous. But it was not about her life with her parents. It was a story following the tragic deaths of her parents. She had walked onto the stage of a piano competition in funeral wear, her face emotionless and her eyes devoid of life. She had played her last piece of music, and then fainted before she could walk off stage. From then on she lost her ability to play music.

"Kikue-chan?" Hatsuna looked up to a panting Kise who burst into the room with Shouko on his heels. His expression told Hatsuna that Shouko had briefed him about the situation, and he wasn't happy about it. Kikue hadn't told Hatsuna or Shouko about her relationship with Kise, but the two girls had guessed from their recent interaction. Kise picked up Kikue with ease. Well, Hatsuna could've probably picked Kikue up with ease, she was _that_ light. "I will get her to the infirmary, could either Nakazuki-san or Sato-san please get her belongings?"

"I will go get it, Nakazuki, do you think you can get your mum to pick her up?" Shouko said, and Hatsuna nodded. "Alright, we will go with that."

* * *

Kikue woke up to her own ceiling. Her head hurt and immediately she knew what had happened. She had experienced one of her worse episodes at school, in front of the two people she thought of as her best friends. She had subconsciously treated Shouko and Hatsuna with distrust. And that was the thing she hated the most. Her brain was still suffering from its previous lack of oxygen. She decided she was not going to try to sit up.

She turned her head, and to her surprise her phone was on her bedside table. She was sure she had left it on the top of the piano. Someone must've gotten it for her.

"Ah, Doll, you're awake." Kikue was surprised to hear the voice of Kise Ria. She must've shown her surprise on her face, because Ria laughed. "Ryōta called and said you weren't feeling well. One of your friends apparently stayed back for the school festival meeting in your stead, the other one is at club activities?"

"Ah, sorry to have bothered you," Kikue started, sitting up despite her headache. Ria set a cup of water on Kikue's bedside table and sat down on the floor. "But how did Ria-nee-chan manage to, get in?"

"I came to substitute Maiko-san." Ria said simply. Maiko was Hatsuna's mother, and Kikue nodded. She caused some incredible trouble this time. "So, what happened?"

"I don't like to play piano in front of people." Kikue said after a short silence. And then corrected herself. "Well, it's not really that, I just, have trouble."

"Even though you used to be so famous?" Ria asked. "Erika-nee looked you up a while ago, because she kept getting the feeling she's seen you somewhere before."

"I'm always lurking in the news somewhere or another." Kikue laughed drily and drank some water.

"You are, and so were your parents." Ria shrugged, as if nothing bothered her in the slightest. "And you've got all the talent to be all over the news. But you don't want to be in the spotlight at all do you?"

"No, I enjoy being in the spotlight," Kikue replied truthfully. Ria, like her siblings, was one of the people Kikue found herself unable to lie to. "I just can't find it in myself to stand in front of people as I am now."

"There's nothing to be ashamed of if you be true to yourself." Ria said. "Ryōta's motto is being true to oneself, and I agree with that."

"I'm plenty true to myself Ria-nee-chan," Kikue smiled. "But being true to yourself and having the courage to face something is different."

"Fair point," Ria nodded. "But, you really can't play the piano anymore?"

"If I don't realise it, or not pay it any attention, I'm pretty sure I can." Kikue thought about it, and replied. "If I think about it, I freeze up and then…well, have an episode."

"You don't hate music?"

"No, I love music."

"What about the violin?" Ria asked. "You were pretty good at that too, when you were younger."

"Is there still footage of that?" Kikue laughed. "I can play through a piece, more or less."

"I honestly don't understand what you see in Ryōta sometimes." Ria shook her head. "You're smart, and talented."

"Well, if you look at it," Kikue started. "If everyone finds out that I'm dating Ryōta, I'm the one who will be hit by jealousy, no?"

"Wait, when did you two start going out?" Ria asked, turning to look at Kikue. "How come my idiot brother never mentioned?"

"Ah well, at least, I _think_ we're going out." Kikue replied quickly. "It's not as if either of us clarified?"

"What's the situation?"

"Um well," Kikue told Ria the story after they had left Ria's part time store. "I mean, it's not as if we clarified that we're boyfriend/girlfriend."

"And you two just, went back to normal?" Ria questioned, as if Kikue had just told her something incredibly stupid. Kikue nodded. "You and Ryōta both, are beyond me."

"It's not like, anything is going to change if we clarify it?" Kikue had no idea why Ria was frowning, but she tried her best to save the situation. From Ria's expression, she failed.

"Of course things change Doll," Ria sighed. "I can't believe I'm helping my stupid brother." She muttered, then, as if she was about to give a very important lecture, straightened up and spoke again. "Kikue-chan, think about it, would you kiss a friend that is of the opposite gender?"

"No?"

"Would you have the given right to be jealous when some other girls make advances on him?"

"Well, I guess not, but-" Kikue did not get a chance to finish her argument.

"If you don't clarify it, there's no saying if one day Ryōta would forget how you're probably the cutest thing on this planet." Ria concluded proudly. Kikue looked at her quizzically.

"Ryōta's free to do as he pleases," Kikue started. "And he's a model, so he needs fans."

"Oh come on Kikue-chan, would you really be ok if he decided he liked some other girl?"

"Well yes, because that's his feelings." Kikue replied. Ria looked as if she was about to hit her right on the head.

"I mean, if some girl made moves on him and his stupidity took over?" Kikue stopped herself from laughing. Ria glared. "I'm being serious."

"Well no, I don't mean that Ria-nee-chan isn't serious," Kikue smiled. "But Ria-nee-chan is trying really hard to convince me to clarify my relationship with Ryōta, it's cute."

"See, Erika and I have trouble liking Ryōta's fans, and you're not one of them." Kikue felt instinctively that Ria's point was anything but that, but she did not comment. She just smiled and nodded.

"We will see how things go then."

* * *

Kikue took out the key from her bedside drawer. It seemed almost comical that she felt like going to her old house after her episode at school. The house she had lived in with her parents back when they had been with her. The house where she had dropped off her violin quite a while ago. The house she had stepped into quite a few times since she entered into high school though she had not once had the courage to step into during her middle school days.

Kikue stared at the key. It led to a place where she might have the least trouble playing the piano. But it was also the place where she would have the most trouble playing the piano. Kikue smiled. She was such a contradiction.

Ria had left after making Kikue promise she would eat properly, because according to her sources, Kikue was most likely underweight. She was painfully aware of how much she had neglected to eat lately, so she probably _was_ underweight, but she decided she had more important priorities. She noted an estimate list of people who would be angry at her for not making eating her first priority, and decided that she might be in deeper trouble than she first thought.

She got out of her bed, and put the key in her school bag. If she wasn't too busy, she could go there the next day after school.

Well, she imagined she might be too busy. The ringing of her phone brought her attention away from her thoughts and she picked up the phone. It was from an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"It's me, Takigawa Izumi." Kikue knew it wasn't a lie, purely because Izumi had quite the distinct voice. "The arrangement for the song, I think it's great."

"Well, that's a good start." Kikue said, unsure why he would be ringing her if he thought it was good. She had told Saki to have them call her if they had a problem with it.

"I want to thank you, Matsui-senpai." Izumi said.

"You're, younger?"

"I'm in third year of middle school, Matsui-senpai." Izumi replied. "I would've thought Guren-san told you."

"I don't like talking to her." Kikue replied simply. She had thought Takigawa Izumi was in her year at least. Well, she was wrong.

"Either way, I want to thank Matsui-senpai for the arrangement, especially since you quit music."

"I wasn't particularly given a choice now, was I?" Kikue shrugged. "But if you three liked it, then it's fine."

"I was just thinking, Senpai," Izumi started. "Why don't you give music a second chance? I would like to see what songs Senpai can compose."

"I'm a performer, not a composer." Kikue smiled. "But it's an interesting suggestion, I will think about it."

"Matsui-senpai, you can be both."

"Do I want to be both?"

* * *

"And so that's why I've been receiving an incredible amount of stares today." Kikue commented once Shouko finished telling her how Kise had princess carried her the day before. It was probably a good choice that they were back in the music room, since she was sure Kise's fans would've been rather triggered by Shouko's elaborate retelling. Kikue put down the yogurt she had been drinking and stared blankly at her friends for a moment before she spoke up. "I'm sorry about the episode yesterday." Kikue started. "The piano's, still a little impossible for me."

"There's nothing for you to apologise about Matsui," Shouko said. "You just need to go your own pace as you usually does, and that would be fine."

"Shouko-chan is right Kikue-chan," Hatsuna seconded. "If it's apologising, you should apologise to yourself for not eating enough."

"That hardly makes sense Hacchan," Kikue smiled. "But if it's eating, I'm eating." Kikue pointed to the yogurt in front of her. "And, once I can play piano again, it's an exclusive recital especially for my friends. I used to be pretty good."

"Is there anything you are _bad_ at, Matsui?" Shouko questioned instead.

"Everyone seems to think I'm bad with relationships." Kikue said with a slight frown. "I've been told that by Miyuki-nee, Miichan and Ria-nee-chan."

"The first two we know, but the last one?"

"Ryōta's sister." Kikue clarified.

"Kikue-chan, what exactly is your relationship with Kise-kun?" Hatsuna asked.

"I don't know," Was Kikue's reply. "Why does everyone want to know?"

"Well, at least when Kise-kun's fans approach you, it would be better if you had an answer." Hatsuna said. Kikue shrugged. "Kikue-chan, this is a serious question."

"We didn't really clarify." Kikue replied.

"Matsui, do you like Kise?" Shouko asked. Kikue felt herself blush slightly, and she nodded.

"Or at least I think so-" The rest of Kikue's sentence was cut off when Kise opened the door to the music room to reveal not only himself but a bunch of other males behind him. "Ah, we have guests."

"Kikue-chan, that's hardly the time to say that, help me-ssu!" Kise said as he ran into the room and stopped next to Kikue, who had stood upon his entry. Kikue did a rough head count and concluded that there was about ten odd people who was with Kise. They looked ready to kill Kise.

"Ryōta, what happened to your bravery?" Kikue asked, temporarily ignoring the guys standing at the door. For some bizarre reason, they didn't enter. Besides Kikue, she saw Shouko's expression morph into understanding. Shouko was trying not to laugh. Kikue wished _she_ knew what was going on. Kise looked at her with the same expression he had looked at her when she had shouted him lunch, but he looked genuinely troubled, so Kikue turned to the guys. "Did Kise Ryōta do something strange?"

"My name is Takeuchi Kon, third year B class, the president of Matsui-sama's fan club." The leader introduced himself. Kikue was caught between laughing, or being incredibly afraid. She tried her best to understand the reasoning behind a third year who had addressed her with the royal suffix. And also the fact that she had a fan club she didn't know about. Somewhere in her head, the fact that Shouko probably _knew_ she had a fan club and didn't tell her registered. She was so going to kill Shouko. "We only wanted Kise for a short chat, it was not our intention to disturb your lunch time, Matsui-sama."

"First," Kikue started slowly, feeling her life slip away from her every time the third year called her with the royal suffix. Her speech was, of course, conducted in respect form. "It would be nice if Takeuchi-senpai can stop addressing me with -sama." Kikue paused, composing herself, and turning to Kise. "Second, if they only want a chat, I don't see why you are not going, Ryōta."

"Kikue-chan, if it's within five people I can do something about that-ssu." Kise said seriously. At which point, Kikue gave up trying to make sense of the situation. She was so tempted to call Mion, at least Mion would know what to do in such a situation.

"Then ask the other five to leave Ryōta," Kikue muttered with a frown. She looked at Takeuchi and the guys behind him. "What do you even want Ryōta for?"

"Matsui-chan, they are jealous." Hazuki Mai pushed through the strange parade. "They want to know the relationship between you and Kise-kun."

"I hate this situation." Kikue said. Mai giggled as she turned to Takeuchi and his gang.

"See, that's what the princess says, you're causing her discomfort."

"We're really sorry Matsui-sama!" Came the chorus of apology as they all bowed. Kikue was sure she jumped, or at least flinched very visibly. But before she could say anything, the ten people who had crowded the entrance of the music room left. But not before saying something else. "We will conduct our conversation with Kise another day!"

She felt like she needed to sit down.

"I was coming here to ask Matsui-chan a favour, but I will come back some other time." Mai smiled good naturedly. Kikue looked at the choir club president and shook her head.

"What's the problem Hazuki-senpai?"

"I just wanted to ask Matsui-chan to give some pointers to the choir if you had the time, but it's not that important so you don't have to worry about it." Mai said quickly. "You look like you've got plenty to deal with."

"I'm sure Hazuki-senpai is more than capable of instructing the sopranos." Kikue said. She thought for a moment. "I know someone who can help the baritones."

"Eh?"

"I will give him a call and see what he says." Kikue said. "I would help, but. Well, the least I can do is to find a replacement."

"If that's ok with you, Matsui-chan." Mai smiled. "Thank you."

"No worries." Kikue replied, and then silence fell until Mai closed the music room door behind her. The moment the door was close, she turned around and looked at Shouko with disapproval. "I'm so going to end you for not telling me that, Shouko. Hatsuna, you better keep very quiet if you knew." She said, and then looked at Kise. "And Ryōta." Kikue paused as Kise smiled at her sheepishly. "I don't even know what to say."

* * *

Kikue gave Kise's fans her sincere respect. They had waited until she finished up her day duties, attended the school festival meetings, and then ambushed her. Really, that was some next level dedication. _And,_ she noted weakly, they haven't interrupted anyone's lunch time.

But then she had went as far as being the basketball club's somewhat manager.

She could not talk.

The group of five girls looked at Kikue, as if trying to judge her worth. Which, Kikue thought, was definitely better than the group of girls looking at her with pity. Kikue decided to speak first.

"Um," She started. "If you're asking me about my relationship with Kise-kun," Kikue caught herself. It seemed like forever since she had called Kise by anything but his first name. But she wasn't stupid enough to think that his fans would be ok with her calling Kise by his first name. "I don't particular have a conclusive answer either."

"You two are really close, and we cannot allow someone who's unworthy to stand by Kise-kun's side."

"If you are such good judges, why don't you go confess and see if Kise-kun chooses you?" The question slipped out before Kikue had a chance to catch herself. She regretted saying it the moment it was out of her mouth. She must've been affected by the scene at lunch time. "Sorry, that came out really harsh. But look, I don't mean anything bad, and if you like Kise-kun, then you should go tell him straight up. I'm sure he doesn't dislike people who are honest to themselves."

"What would you know?"

"Good question, since I don't even know my own standings with the guy." Kikue shrugged. "But at least I can be honest about my jealousy if I had to." Kikue swallowed the 'probably'.

"Kikue-chan, found you-ssu!" Came Kise's voice before any of the girls could say anything. "Ah, did I interrupt something?"

"No, they just wanted to know our relationship." Kikue replied.

"I thought that was a given-ssu," Kise frowned. He took Kikue's hand and urged her to leave. "I'm sorry girls, but from now on, it's private time with my cute girlfriend."

"Ryōta, that was so cheesy." Kikue said once they were out of the school. She was sure she was still blushing. "So, is that an official thing?"

"What is?"

"Us, going out." Kikue muttered.

"Of course-ssu." Kise said. "That's what I told your fan club as well."

"Anything, but that fan club." Kikue visibly paled. Her hand held onto Kise's tighter. "That was terrifying."

"Kikue-chan, I'm sure this is not your first fan club-ssu." Kise laughed, but he pulled Kikue closer to him. "You probably had one in middle school too."

"Let's hope you're just joking." Kikue said.

* * *

 _Whelp, the chapter was super long._

 _Also, my cat hates me._

 _I'm pretty sure I was meant to respond to a review. If I didn't respond, yell at me in another review. Otherwise just hate my uni for being an hour away from my house and we have 8 a.m. classes so RIP._

 _Pretty sure it wasn't this story that someone told me there was a lack of romance. That was the One Piece fic. Yup. But One Piece...is adventure..._

 _I will stop whining now._

 _Murasaki xx_


	14. Chapter 13

_Can I just say that I am honestly dying and there is no medicine and there is also hayfever which is not helping and Uni makes me really really sad._

 _There is no excuse as to why I haven't updated in so long I am sorry._

 _Also if any lovelies who sent in reviews or anything and I haven't replied. YELL AT ME. I might live in Australia, but I will hear words of shame and be ashamed. I'm super sorry. Honestly._

* * *

"So as a summary of ideas for the menu," Kikue said as she stood in front of the class with a piece of chalk in her hand, writing down food items on the blackboard. In her other hand was a stack of music scores, which she was reading while she held the class meeting. "Standard items of a café, a variety of cakes, and decorative cookies to sell if budget allows. Anything else to be added?"

"Not at the moment, Matsui-san."

"Ok, Hacchan, please record that down for now." Kikue responded, her attention still on the stack of sheet music in front of her. "I also photocopied everyone's share of the temporary shift allocations, please speak to me individually if you have a problem with your shift." Kikue set the sheet music down for a moment and passed Tomoda a different stack of papers, which he proceeded to hand out. Kikue picked up a pencil and the sheet music again, making changes as she spoke. "I've also spoken to the other committee members and spread the words to see if there is left over fabric everyone can donate. That way we have better liquidity of our budget for other things such as food.

"I think for today, everyone make sure you've had your measurements taken by the sewing team, so they are not under pressure." Kikue concluded. "Please move onto the school festival preparations. If there is a problem, speak to me or Nito-san."

Kikue read over the piece once more, satisfied with her changes, and rotated it to the last of the pile, moving onto the next one. She had asked Izumi, Satoru and Kakeru to help out with the choir club when they had time, and the exchange condition was that she looked over the arrangement of some other pieces. Hence, she was multi-tasking.

"Matsui-san, would we be able to take your measurements first?" One of the girls in the sewing team interrupted her thoughts. She looked up and nodded, setting down her sheet music to follow the girl. "Matsui-san, you're really amazing."

"Why?" Kikue asked as she took off her cardigan. "I just did what I had to do as a committee member."

"It's only been three days since we decided, and Matsui-san already has everything organised."

"It's part of my obligations." Kikue replied simply.

"Matsui-san is also the top student in the year," The girl said. Kikue remembered her name, Miyazawa Madoka. She seemed genuinely amazed by Kikue, which was a good start. "You even managed to help Kise-kun raise his grades. Plus, you are the mahjong world champion."

"My family are all pretty good at mahjong," Kikue shrugged. "It's nothing impressive."

"Just between us two, Matsui-san," Madoka said quietly. "A lot of the girls want to sabotage."

"Sabotage? What?" Kikue asked.

"Everything, since they're jealous of Matsui-san."

"What is there to be jealous of," Kikue laughed. "I've got some creepy third years who call me with the royal suffix. I can just see my life flying away when they call me that."

"I've heard about that, it's a little on the creepy side." Madoka winced.

"At least Ryōta's fans call him 'Kise-kun' properly." Kikue sighed and put her cardigan on again as Madoka finished up her measurements. She saw Madoka frown at the numbers on the sheet of paper. She could guess why, but she still asked. "What's wrong?"

"Matsui-san, are you sure you are eating properly?"

"Yes I'm sure I'm eating properly." Kikue sighed. "I'm just always on the skinny side."

"Well, yes, it would be a pain for you to have to hide your boobs though." Madoka commented. Kikue blinked. She had forgotten that they were doing a cross-dressing café, so of course.

"I will think of something if I have to." Kikue said after a short silence. She finished up buttoning her cardigan. "I will just be where I was if you need me again."

"Sure, Matsui-san."

* * *

"I can't believe I let you drag me into a karaoke box." Kikue commented as she set her bag down next to Kise's. She looked around and swallowed a sigh. At least Kise looked happy.

"What's wrong with karaoke-ssu?"

"Nothing's wrong with _karaoke_ , the problem is me." Kikue replied. "I cannot stand notes that sounds even vaguely off."

"I thought Kikue-chan was going to say that you can't sing." Kise said as he pulled her into his lap. Kikue frowned, and he laughed in response. "Not that I would've had a problem with Kikue-chan not being able to sing."

"I've been to karaoke once in my life, and I had a problem with it. Of course I can't sing." Kikue frowned. "On top of that, I don't know any songs."

"Kikue-chan, you're really out of sync in some areas, aren't you-ssu?"

"Everyone seems to take pleasure in telling me that lately." Kikue sighed as she leaned back into Kise. "So, what is it?"

"What-ssu?"

"Don't play dumb Ryōta, you look like you've got something to say." Kikue commented.

"Well, Ria-nee-chan was bothering me about making our relationship official," Kise started. "And I needed to fend off some people-ssu."

"You're not answering my question, Ryōta."

"Well, it's ok, since Kikue-chan isn't that type of person-ssu."

"Ryōta, you're being strange," Kikue sighed, and reached over to her bag, taking out a box. She passed the box to Kise and realised what he might've been talking about. "There's cookies in that box." She paused. "If you're talking about Hisame-nii-san, he's Shouko's elder brother, and I felt the obligation to help my friend's brother."

"Kikue-chan, you weren't supposed to be this bright when it comes to relationships." Kise complained while taking a cookie, though he looked as if she had just cleared some incredible misunderstanding. Kikue almost rolled her eyes. She just wasn't ok with talking about sex related topics.

"Where did you get _that_ idea?"

"Aomine-cchi's mail, he told me his friend said so-ssu." Kikue visibly winced. She swore to herself that the next time she saw Kashiwagi Mion, she was going to strangle that woman.

"And this kind of stuff just _happen_ to come up in conversation?" Kikue asked.

"In that one conversation, yessu."

"Well," Kikue turned so that she was facing him with her entire body. She rested her hands on Kise's cheeks, and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Ignoring that, you don't have to worry about Hisame-nii-san."

"I'm not worried-ssu." Kise grinned. Kikue just looked at the boy disapprovingly before laughing and removing herself from his lap.

"Well, at least, I'm just really going to hope Miichan didn't say anything else to Aomine-san." Kikue said. Kise casted her a strange look, and Kikue frowned. "She tends to…divert conversations in strange directions."

"Should I ask?"

"No."

* * *

"So, why do you look like you've got a bone to pick with me again, Ryōta?" Kikue asked as she sat by the basketball courts, writing in the Student Council accounting notebook. She passed Kise his water bottle and resumed her calculations in her head. Kise merely looked at the notebook accusingly and didn't speak. Kikue felt herself wanting to sigh. "It's no one's fault that the current accountant is sick, Ryōta."

"I didn't even say anything-ssu." Kise pouted. Kikue shook her head, but smiled up at Kise.

"You don't have to, Ryōta," Kikue said. "I'm getting used to all the body language."

"Oh, really now, Kikue-chan?" Kise whispered into Kikue's ear in a low and sensual voice. Kikue felt herself blush, but quickly pushed him away from her.

"You're going to get told off." Kikue said as she turned her attention to the accounts once more. "And also, please get back to the sewing team about your costume preferences."

"Do we really have to go through with the cross-dressing idea-ssu?"

"Well, apparently." Kikue deadpanned as she pressed more lead out of the mechanical pencil. She sighed. "Everyone is going to be doing it, doesn't matter, does it?"

"What do you think I suit-ssu, Kikue-chan?"

"Cinderella?" Kikue replied as she stared at her boyfriend. The blue and the blonde seemed quite perfect. "Should I just tell them that?"

"Sure-ssu." Kise replied easily. If Kikue wanted to see him as Cinderella, Kise did not see why he couldn't just swallow his complaints. "What's Kikue-chan dressing as?"

"Miyazawa-san didn't tell me, she just said there's something very suitable and I left it to her." Kikue replied. And then for good measure, as Kise had sat down next to her and started nuzzling in. "Since I'm busy."

"Couldn't the Student Council somehow have taken care of it-ssu?"

"Cultural festival is right around the corner, they're busy." Kikue said. "Are you going to invite anyone from your middle school?"

"I'm not sure-ssu." Kise replied. Kikue looked at the boy sitting next to her, slightly surprised by his response. She was so sure that he was the type of person to invite his friends and make sure he drags them there even if they didn't want to go. As if sensing Kikue's confusing, Kise spoke again. "We promised to see each other on the court."

"Well, you can at least invite the blue-haired one," Kikue suggested. "The one at Seirin. Kuroko-kun."

"Kikue-chan, since when did you become so familiar with the Teikō basketball team memberssu?"

"I happen to travel to Tokyo a lot Ryōta," Kikue replied nonchalantly. "I had to talk to Satsuki quite a bit for certain things."

"Certain things?"

"Yeah, certain things." Kikue replied dismissively. Kise looked at the girl suspiciously. She did not usually keep information like that from him, it wasn't important information. Unless, Kise thought as he looked at Kikue, whose attention was completely absorbed into the accounts book, it _was_ important, or concerning him.

"What did you need to talk to Momocchi about-ssu?" Kise asked, wrapping his arm around Kikue to draw her attention completely to him. Kikue looked like she was trying really hard not to react. "Kikue-chan, tell me-ssu."

"It's not important, go back to practice before Kasamatsu-senpai yells at you again." Kikue pushed Kise away from her. Kise pouted and merely stared at Kikue until Kikue relented. "I will tell you later, now go before I get told off too."

"Alright-ssu, I will take Kikue-chan's word for it." Kise left reluctantly. He was so sure Kikue would just talk her way out of it. She was incredibly intelligent for a reason, and Kise just knew she was going to use that against him. It was Kikue's way to hide her embarrassment. Divert attention away. Talk her way out of telling.

But that he could deal with.

Because Kise knew Kikue would let him win the game they played.

* * *

"Miyuki-nee, want to take a road trip to Kanagawa in a week's time?"

"What, why?" Miyuki asked Kikue through the phone. Kikue giggled at Miyuki's question before Miyuki remembered. "Cultural festival? Sure. Can I bring a friend too?"

"Sure, do I know the friend?" Kikue agreed easily. She could easily guilt Hisame into giving her more tickets. She _had_ done more than enough work for the Student Council.

"Not personally." Miyuki said. "Are you inviting Mion as well?"

"I kind of just assumed Miyuki-nee would bring her." Kikue replied honestly as she watched Kise do another layup. "Or Miichan would just show up like she usually does."

"Well, Mion and Hinae, just us then."

"Hinae…Shiraon Hinae?" Kikue questioned. Miyuki hummed in response. "Why?"

"Well, Shin-chan happens to have been the vice-captain of the Teikō team." Miyuki said, as if that should've explained anything.

"What does Miyuki-nee's teasing target have to do with the national scale idol?"

"Well, Shin-chan doesn't." Miyuki said. "Akashi does."

"The red-head?"

"Yeah, Hinae's fiancé." Miyuki said. Kikue sighed. It was a small world.

"Alright, it's time to greet the girl who's always a page before me every magazine." It was true. Kikue's magazine appearances always followed Shiraon Hinae's. It was a fact that Kikue had gotten used to, and a fact that made her want to greet Hinae. She had a feeling they were going to get along.

"If I didn't know you Kiku, I would've thought you hold a grudge for that." Miyuki laughed.

"But you know me, Miyuki-nee."

"I know Kiku. Rest assured, I will turn up."

"See you then, Miyuki-nee." Kikue hung up the phone and casted a side glance at the form Hisame had given her a day ago. Student Council elections for later in the year. He wanted her to run for it. And despite Kikue's rejection, Sato Hisame had thought it was a good idea for Kikue to think over it. She really didn't want to. And of course, she had not yet told Kise about it. She imagined that Kise was just going to be annoyed about it. Kikue decided to randomly shove the form into her bag. She had until December to think about it. A little over three months.

And she had more things to think about than running for office. Cultural festival was in a week and she was going to have to sort out some problems. Well, at least, she was hoping her classmates would carry out the instructions she had given them. And if she got one more call from the professional mahjong people to tell her to play placements, she was going to smash her phone. That, and paired with her mother's side of the family. And also, her uncle. If it was not for the ease of communication with her grandfather, who recently was released from the hospital, Kikue would've opted to just throw her phone into a river. Maybe, she mused for more than once, she could just go to her old house, and throw it into the ocean from the window. Then, she realised, she would've needed supernatural basketball skills for that.

Kikue giggled at herself as her mind ran through the ridiculous scenario once more. Her mind was really becoming stranger the more time she spent with Kise. But she enjoyed that time so much. Though, Kikue knew deep down, that she really needed to confront all the imbedded problems in her life before she could really let herself go and have fun. At front and foremost of the list of problems – going back to her old house.

The key had been lying in Kikue's school bag since she had put it in. It remained untouched. And Kikue had not even once tried to set feet even in the direction of the house. She almost sighed to herself. Forget about her future, she was not going to accomplish anything in her life if she wasn't going to go back to her old house.

Though, as her grandfather had commented – Kikue had gotten so much better.

She could now watch programs featuring her father and mother without an attack. She could also talk about them. Vaguely. Very vaguely. She was paying more visits to ShiOto, and she was demonstrating notes for Natsuki, who took her comments very seriously. But of course, she couldn't play. She hadn't attempted to. But she knew.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket once more, pulling Kikue out of her thoughts. She pulled it out and saw the ever so familiar phone number from her mother's family. Well, specifically, her grandmother. Kise was still training. Kikue took a chance. She was bound to face that problem sooner or later. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad this time.

"It's the very basic of manners to return a call, Kikue." Her grandmother's voice was cold and uncaring, just like Kikue remembered it. And also, Kikue noted weakly, it was equally as bad. "I have called you numerous times."

"For what?" Kikue's voice came out clipped and irritated.

"Not even a greeting, has the world championship gotten to your little head so much?" Her grandmother scolded. Kikue swallowed the anger threatening to bubble up.

"You do not deserve a greeting, Futaba-san." Kikue said. She felt a fog cover her eyes. She bit back a curse.

"I am still your grandmother, insolent child."

"Biologically, perhaps. Psychologically, debatable." Kikue replied simply.

"Do not try to be smart with me young lady." Her grandmother scolded. "You must return to Hokkaido at once to receive proper education."

"I'm receiving better education that you could ever offer me, Futaba-san." Kikue replied. Then, her voice lowered and she found her own voice dripping with venom. "At least here, I can actually see."

"The doctor-"

"The doctor can say one thing, Futaba-san," Kikue cut her grandmother off. "But I can experience another. For someone who has taken my life away from me, I certainly do not expect you to understand." Kikue paused and took a deep breath. And in the calmest tone she had ever used with her grandmother, she delivered her next line. "You have exiled my mother, which means I am not your grandchild, Futaba-san. Any more of this phone harassment that you have recently used to entertain yourself, I will file a complaint straight to the police."

"Kik-" Kikue pressed the end call button a little more aggressively than she would've liked. Her grandmother seemed to bring up all the anger in Kikue, an amount more than Kikue ever knew existed in her. She looked at her phone, where her grandfather's message popped up, asking her whether it was ok for him to go to Iwate Shunsuke's for dinner. Her mood lifted slightly. She replied with a joke questioning Matsui Mikage whether her food was not to his tastes, but said she was happy as long as he was up to it.

* * *

Kise was hyper aware of how the girl's mood had shifted. She had gone from avoiding topics to staring at her phone in utter irritation. Which was one thing, Kise mused, if it was friendly irritation. But it was really another, if she looked like she was about to hit something. Anger was not in Matsui Kikue's repertoire, at least not the one he knew. Really, anger wasn't part of the repertoire for a lot of the Japanese population, as far as Kise knew. Mild irritation, however, was. Like all the times his father had told him off about his grades.

Kikue who met Kise outside of the gym looked to be in a slightly better mood. Only slightly, from anger to extreme irritation, it seemed. But something was a little off about the girl. Her eyes didn't focus, or so Kise could tell. It was as if she was trying to focus on one thing, but her eyes focused on something else a few centimeters removed from the thing she wanted. Which, even with Kise's non-existent medical knowledge, wasn't good. So, he asked.

"Kikue-chan, how are you feeling-ssu?"

"What kind of question is that?" Came Kikue's answer. She didn't sound annoyed, at least not at him. Good sign. But there was a slight panic in her tone. Bad sign. But apparently Kikue was in a talking mood. "I just received a call from someone I don't quite like. Not a big deal."

"That's not quite I was asking about-ssu, but ok." Kise offered. Kikue looked over at him, and it seemed like her eyes focused on him properly.

"I still want to throw my phone into the ocean, but otherwise I'm fine now." Kikue smiled. Kise was slightly relieved.

"Why-ssu? It's a perfectly functional phone."

"That's exactly the reason, Ryōta, there's too many people trying to ring me." And as if on cue, Kikue's phone rang. A modern piece of music. Something that Kise didn't quite expect from Kikue's ringtone selection. "See my point?" She took out her phone and answered. "Taki-kun?" A pause from Kikue. "That's a G flat, and no, there isn't." Another paused. "I don't know, add a cello part in or something." Kikue stopped in her tracks. "No, not that, just, ask Guren-san about it. I'm busy right now," Kikue casted a side glance at Kise. "Message me later if you've got anything else."

Kikue hung up.

"I desperately need to get a new phone, and only add you and Grandpa in." Kikue said as she put her phone into her bag. Kise took her small hand in his in an attempt to offer support. Kikue looked glad. "Do you want to stay for dinner? Grandpa's abandoned me."

"Sure-ssu."

* * *

 _If anyone wants medically correct story, can I just say I study a humanities course and not a medical course so I cannot understand any of the weird terms that look kinda like Latin and more like Martian. But I'll go do research. If my brain starts working again. And if I get complaints._

 _Dunno if I can do weekly updates at this point. But I'll try my best. Almost end of semester at uni._

 _Murasaki xx_


End file.
